Week 3A: Utilitarianism
In the reading this week on Utilitarianism, one of the points made about the theory is that it does not take motivation into account. Mill states, “He who saves a fellow creature from drowning does what is morally right, whether his motive be duty or the hope of being paid for his trouble.” He says this to underscore the idea that as long as you achieve the greatest happiness for the greatest number, then “why” you did it doesn’t matter.
What do you think about this? Do our motivations matter when it comes to morality? Are we less moral if we act for less than noble reasons, such as the hope of being paid? Are we more moral if we act simply out of the duty to our fellow human beings?
Think about yourself–what motivates you to act morally? Does it affect how you feel about what you’ve done? Have you ever done something right without expecting praise or recognition? Finally, should our motivations or intentions matter, or as Mill argues, just the results?
Example 1: Walid
We can easily evaluate actions based solely on their outcomes, but I think motivations are equally important in determining the moral value of those actions. For instance, if I help someone from real concern about them that is more significant than if I was doing it for a reward. Personal satisfaction and sense of fulfillment that arise from good intentions play a huge role in my understanding of morality.
When I act out of kindness or duty, it feels like my actions speak to who I am and what I stand for, thus giving more significance to the moral implications of the outcome. It doesn’t matter whether someone benefits from my help or not; there are internal gratifications that come with knowing you did something selflessly that cannot go unrecognized. I remember some times when I have done good things without expecting anything in return, and those moments were way better than moments when I wanted recognition or reward.
On the other hand, acting selfishly, such as hoping for praise or rewards may lead to similar outcomes but do not seem to have the desired moral satisfaction. In this case, others may gain from this outcome but with my own sense of ethics being inadequate. Therefore, doing it out of true care for others has a higher value even if it is like having equal end results.