The Main elements of Utilitarian moral philosophy are based upon "the greatest good of the greatest number". In any real situation, there are many people involved; they will all be affected in different ways; there is no reason why the "greatest number" should receive the "greatest good". Although there is in fact more utilitarian in the world then not. People live to see happiness without a doubt but happiness is exceptionally more joyous when there is more people enjoying it. Utilitarianism is expressed in ways that people don't even realize and for the most part they will hurt others to receive happiness. In this essay I will explain three different readings and describe Utilitarianism in each one. I will also give Kantian Ethics and Virtue Ethics point of view of the stories also.

In the reading written by Ursula K. Le Guin, "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas" there lived many selfish, or maybe better understood utilitarian people. Life in the city of Omelas it seemed as though the residents were living a fairy tale. They didn't have to worry about laws; they had very few if any. All of the people were as happy as could be with no fear and no guilt. In Omelas they nev

The third story in which is also written by Peter Singer is called, "All Animals Are Equal" is an interesting and also describes utilitarianism in it. A man named Jeremy Bentham had written a passage many years ago when the British dominions were being treated in a way that one in our society treats animals in this day and age. He explained how it doesn't matter what the color of one's skin is or how many legs one has we should all get equal rights. If a boy is kicking around a stone it isn't the interest of the stone to be kicked around, Singer points out that it would be silly to say because the stone doesn't have any interest or feelings. Now for a mouse it would have interest and feeling but one may put the mouse and the stone at an equal level.

Singer explains how it is cruel to the animals when caging hens to four or five and making them stand on wire flooring for convenience and expense for the owners. Or the slope to the floors to make it easier to get the eggs after being layed although it is considerably uncomfortable for them to live. The birds aren't able to stretch, walk around, or make a nest like a normal bird should be able to do. As for pigs they are comparable to dog's intelligence wise and need just as much attention. They are usually kept in a shed somewhere in which gets no attention at all. Calves are also neglected and are considered worse off because they not only can't turn around but also can't comfortably lie down. In order to make more money people actually keep them anemic and don't get much roughage and this keeps them pale and they give white meat in, which is more costly.

The Virtue Ethics is described that we as human beings should act in a way that best fulfills our needs. In the first story the ethics are being fulfilled because it is fulfilling the needs of human life and it is resulting in a way that is making them happy. In the second story the Virtue ethics is not fulfilled but that is what is excepted from the human race and as long as it fulfills the human's life to be greedy then it is okay. In the third story the virtue ethics is also fulfilled because all of our lives it has been okay to eat animal and nobody has proved any different. So as long as it is fulfilling the need of the human and makes the human happy then it is the right thing to do.

In the second story written by Peter Singer "Famine, Affluence, and Morality" Singer expresses Utilitarianism in a great deal of ways. Singer makes many points in which one of them is, if it is morally possible to prevent something bad from happening we shall do so as long as it does not sacrifice anything of comparable moral importance. As one of his examples: If one is to walk next to a child drowning in a shallow pond then they shouldn't have to think twice to save the child they should out of reaction just do so. Although there are some people who look at it in a different perspective and rea

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Approximate Word count = 1976
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)