Ebook: A New Approach to Utilitarianism: A Unified Utilitarian Theory and Its Application to Distributive Justice
Author: C. L. Sheng (auth.)
- Tags: Ethics, Operation Research/Decision Theory, Microeconomics, Political Philosophy
- Series: Theory and Decision Library 5
- Year: 1991
- Publisher: Springer Netherlands
- Edition: 1
- Language: English
- pdf
1.1 Utilitarian Theories This book is a monograph on moral philosophy and social philosophy, particularly the part of the philosophy of economics that is related to the general distribution problem. It presents a comprehensive ethical theory, together with an application of the theory to distributive justice. The viewpoint of this theory is utilitarian. However, this theory is different in some crucial points, as well as in minor details, from all existing forms of utilitarianism. Moral philosophy deals essentially with the moral judgment of actions, i. e., whether a moral action is right or wrong, good or bad. The judgment is usually based on a line of logical reasoning, which can be traced to a final reason called the justification or ultimate principle. An ethical theory is a self-consistent system built upon a basic, or ultimate, principle. An ultimate principle can never be rigorously proven, and is not unique. Different philosophers establish different ethical theories upon different principles. Therefore, in the history of development of moral philosophy, there have been a large number of ethical theories and schools. Even wi thin the same school having the same ultimate principle, different philosophers may have different versions of the theory, because of small variations in the interpretation of the ultimate principle or in the elaboration of the details.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xvi
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Introduction....Pages 3-37
A Particular Interpretation of Utilitarianism....Pages 38-63
Basic Principles....Pages 64-99
A Theory of Value....Pages 100-135
Decision-Making and Moral Actions....Pages 136-179
Moral Judgment and Justification....Pages 180-236
Comparisons with Other Theories....Pages 237-282
Summary, Refutation of Objections, and a General View....Pages 283-323
Front Matter....Pages 325-325
The General Distribution Problem and Distributive Justice....Pages 327-354
Maximization of Utility and the Objective Function....Pages 355-400
The Constraint....Pages 401-433
Interpretation of Measures of Deviation from Ideal....Pages 434-454
A Proposal of Contribution as a Pattern for Distribution....Pages 455-469
Comments on Free-Market, Libertarianism, Nozick and Rawls....Pages 470-489
Randomness and Distribution....Pages 490-511
Income Tax, Social Welfare, Salary Systems and Private Property....Pages 512-538
General Social Welfare Functions and an Overall Picture....Pages 539-563
Back Matter....Pages 565-577
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xvi
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Introduction....Pages 3-37
A Particular Interpretation of Utilitarianism....Pages 38-63
Basic Principles....Pages 64-99
A Theory of Value....Pages 100-135
Decision-Making and Moral Actions....Pages 136-179
Moral Judgment and Justification....Pages 180-236
Comparisons with Other Theories....Pages 237-282
Summary, Refutation of Objections, and a General View....Pages 283-323
Front Matter....Pages 325-325
The General Distribution Problem and Distributive Justice....Pages 327-354
Maximization of Utility and the Objective Function....Pages 355-400
The Constraint....Pages 401-433
Interpretation of Measures of Deviation from Ideal....Pages 434-454
A Proposal of Contribution as a Pattern for Distribution....Pages 455-469
Comments on Free-Market, Libertarianism, Nozick and Rawls....Pages 470-489
Randomness and Distribution....Pages 490-511
Income Tax, Social Welfare, Salary Systems and Private Property....Pages 512-538
General Social Welfare Functions and an Overall Picture....Pages 539-563
Back Matter....Pages 565-577
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