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Explain The Preference Utilitarianism Of Peter Singer

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Explain The Preference Utilitarianism Of Peter Singer
Explain the Preference Utilitarianism of Peter Singer
Preference Utilitarianism is based on the idea that a good action is one that maximises the preferences of all involved so that my own want, needs and desires cannot apply to everyone.
Utilitarianism is a teleological or consequentialist approach to ethics, which means that the action’s outcome is looked at. It is the greatest happiness principle. It is the consequences of an action which judge whether it is good or bad.
Preference Utilitarianism Is based on the idea that a good action is one that maximises the preferences of all involved so that my own wants, needs and desires cannot count for anyone else’s needs, wants or desires.
Preference Utilitarian's consider whether a decision is right or wrong by asking whether it fits in with what people would rationally prefer.
Singer was influenced by a number of classic and
…show more content…
Hare said “the morally right action is the one that maximises that satisfaction of the preferences of all those involved”. So in other words, in this form of utilitarianism, it is important to take into account the preferences of the individual involved, except where those preferences come into direct conflict with the preferences of others.
Henry Sidgwick said “it is the motive (intending to bring about the greatest good) rather than the outcome that is good”.
To make an ethical decision, it is necessary to take an impartial view. Singer calls this the Impartial Spectator. An impartial spectator is someone who doesn’t count their own preferences as more important than the preferences of others. It is someone who can take an objective view rather than a subjective view.
Singer says that society is made up of a collection of individuals, each with their own preferences, so trade-offs have to be made for the general welfare of that society- in other words, some preferences have to be accepted and other rejected so that the good of all may be

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