StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

A utilitarian approach to poverty - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Utilitarianism as a philosophy and point of view is focused upon achieving greatest good for the greatest number of people. It therefore sheds light on the moral issues and where to take moral actions regardless of the overall consequences of such actions on the individuals if that moral action actually results into the greater good for greater number of people…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER94.3% of users find it useful
A utilitarian approach to poverty
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "A utilitarian approach to poverty"

Download file to see previous pages

Singer further argues that people in rich countries spend their income on things which are effectively useless for them. Singer therefore argues that if people can actually curtail their expenses on unnecessary things and donate them, they can actually contribute towards the improvement in the lives of many. Singer’s thesis is critically more important because it outlines the need to have a broader and compassionate view of the poor of the world and how their lives can be improved with just little bit of effort.

Singer therefore suggests that rich should help poor because their help will actually result into greater good for the greatest number of people. He also provides the analogy of Bob Bugati and suggests how people from developed world actually ignore how a small time effort can save lives. Singer than suggests that there may be certain objections as to whether the funds donated or the help provided by the Westerners actually end up being utilized properly. There is a clear argument of whether the aid or the donations offered at the personal level can actually be utilized for the purpose for which they are given.

This argument however, been discussed from the point of view how a little bit of research can actually help anyone to find out credible organizations which utilize the overall donations in fair manner. Underlying the arguments of Singer is probably the implicit assumption that money can actually buy happiness. Singer argues that financial donations and help from the rich can actually fulfill the basic and smaller needs of the poor. This ultimately translates into better and improved quality of the life for poor and may pave way for them to engage themselves into something meaningful.

The argument of Bob Bugati however, also presents an alternative view of how money can actually restrict rich to help poor as people like Bob may value money and their financial belongings more than the lives of poor living thousands miles away. Singer therefore, appears to be offering both the views that money can actually buy happiness while at the other hand, expensive financial possessions of the individuals can actually deter them to look for helping poor. The overall arguments of Singer are relatively straight forward however, there may be certain point of contention based upon which the overall disagreement can be made.

First, the implicit assumption that money can actually buy happiness for the people may not be entirely correct argument. Though, money may be the most essential thing for the survival of the people in poor countries however, there is a need to actually view happiness from multi-dimensional purpose. By associating utility with the consumption of wealth can actually be a flawed argument considering the fact that poor countries have relatively higher level of happiness index value as compared to the countries where wealth is relatively high.

Considering this from the perspective of Marxian analysis, one needs to argue as to how to determine what is actually good for the people. To investigate as to what is essentially good for the people may be relatively difficult task because even providing foreign aid may not result into the creation of greater good for the poor because of corruption and other structural issues. Marxian criticism also suggests that

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“A utilitarian approach to poverty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1489437-a-utilitarian-approach-to-poverty
(A Utilitarian Approach to Poverty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words)
https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1489437-a-utilitarian-approach-to-poverty.
“A Utilitarian Approach to Poverty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/philosophy/1489437-a-utilitarian-approach-to-poverty.
  • Cited: 1 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF A utilitarian approach to poverty

The branches of philosophy

… The learning experiences of the module also made me to evaluate such controversial issues as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, homosexuality and environmental ethics from various ethical perspectives such as deontological teleological, aretological, utilitarian, retributive, abolitionist and egoist approaches.... For instance, it is worthwhile to evaluate the ethics regarding the issue of homosexuality from utilitarian as well as egoist ethical perspectives....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Poverty, Hunger, and Homelessness

This report expounds on how poverty, hunger, and homelessness have developed roots in countries, their effect on the economy, and the strategies laid down to curb them.... … poverty refers to a situation where individuals lack basic needs to run smoothly in their day-to-day life.... According to Nelson (13), the climate change is one of the roots of poverty among communities.... poverty, Hunger, and Homelessness According to Nelson, the climate change is one of the roots of poverty among communities....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

Incompatibility Moral Rights with the New Digital Environment

This is different from the approach being suggested in global copyright harmonization which considers a different approach, a utilitarian approach which weighs up the interests of society against the individual where the rights of the many outweigh the rights of the few.... they can not be treated in a utilitarian manner, rather the personal and public concerns need to weighed and balanced.... Copyright in Intellectual Property law usually refers to the protection of ideas in intellectual property prior to their public release; therefore in respect to copyright it can also refer to artistic designs of goods and jingles prior to completion, but the most important factor is that it portrays the traditional approach of UK law, which is similar to the US and Canada, i....
16 Pages (4000 words) Essay

Jeremy Bentham - Concept of Utilitarianism

Moreover, Bentham's critics tend to reduce the utilitarian argument into its simple form - one that only emphasizes 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number.... Oppositions to the concept point to the fact that utilitarianism excludes minorities and individuals as for instance, 7Frey asserts that everyone is within the scope of utilitarian 'sacrifice....
9 Pages (2250 words) Book Report/Review

A Naturalistic Perspective On Stalking

This paper evaluates current theory and research on the naturalistic aspect of stalking.... his paper purposes to contribute to the scholarly study of stalking within a naturalistic context.... The article first discusses issues that concern stalking and then presents a functional framework and theoretical model on stalking....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Philosophical and Practical Approach for Balancing Issues

This paper "Philosophical and Practical approach for Balancing Issues" focuses on the fact that philosophy differs from reality in that it relies and focuses mostly on rational matters of argument.... This paper will, therefore, discuss the philosophical and practical approach for balancing issues such as individual rights and the public protection, use of reward and punishment in criminal justice, and techniques employed for weighing the use of immoral ways to accomplish desirable ends....
5 Pages (1250 words) Assignment

Utilitarian Conservation or Preservation Movement

Key among her fundamental suggestions is utilitarian conservation, which she explains has the potential of saving the country's biodiversity future as the discussion below portrays.... The rising population continues to intensify conflicts between humans and wild animals owing to the fact that humans continue to encroach on the areas previously… As the conflict heightens, the number of animals continues to diminish as humans continue to prey on most of them either for food or for their trophies....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay

Utilitarian, Virtue and Libertarian Approaches to Conjoined Twins Case

Utilitarianism might be considered as an ethical approach that is quantitative and reductionist.... The present essay ''utilitarian, Virtue and Libertarian Approaches to Conjoined Twins Case'' explores the meaning and different concepts of ethical practice.... Focusing on a case scenario, different theories of ethics will be outlined....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us