Definitions
Consequentialism: The view that the morality of an action depends entirely on its consequences.
Utilitarianism: A form of consequentialism that says we should maximize happiness and minimize suffering.
Deontology: The view that some actions are right or wrong regardless of their consequences.
Virtue Ethics: The view that morality is about being a good person rather than following rules or producing good results.
The Theory
Consequentialism says that what makes an action right or wrong is its consequences - the results it produces. The ends justify the means.
An action is morally right if it produces the best possible consequences, and wrong if it produces worse consequences than some alternative action.
Consequentialism doesn't care about intentions, motives, or the nature of the action itself. Only the outcomes matter.
What about good intentions?
Good intentions are only valuable if they lead to good results. If someone with good intentions causes harm, consequentialism says the action was wrong.
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is the most famous form of consequentialism. It says we should maximize happiness and minimize suffering for everyone affected.
Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.
Whose happiness counts?
Everyone's happiness counts equally. The happiness of a stranger counts just as much as the happiness of your family or yourself.
Act Utilitarianism: Choose the action that produces the best consequences in each specific situation.
Rule Utilitarianism: Follow rules that, if everyone followed them, would produce the best consequences overall.
Arguments for Consequentialism
It seems obvious that we should try to make the world better. If an action makes people happier, isn't that good?
Consequentialism gives clear guidance: do whatever produces the best results. This is often more practical than following rigid rules.
What about moral dilemmas?
Consequentialism can help resolve moral dilemmas by comparing the consequences of different options. The right choice is the one with the best overall results.
Consequentialism can adapt to changing circumstances. What's right in one situation might be wrong in another, depending on the consequences.
Problems with Consequentialism
If you can save five people by killing one person, should you do it? Consequentialism says yes, but this seems wrong to many people.
What's the issue?
The problem is that consequentialism might require us to do terrible things (like killing an innocent person) if it produces better overall results.
It's often impossible to predict all the consequences of our actions. How can we know what will produce the best results?
Consequentialism might justify violating individual rights if it produces better overall results. For example, it might justify punishing an innocent person to prevent riots.
What about minority rights?
If harming a minority produces greater happiness for the majority, consequentialism might say this is morally right, which seems unjust.
Consequentialism might require us to constantly sacrifice our own interests for the greater good. This seems too demanding.
Conclusion
Consequentialism has intuitive appeal and provides practical guidance, but it faces serious challenges regarding justice, rights, and the difficulty of predicting consequences.
Many philosophers think we should consider consequences but also respect individual rights and justice. Pure consequentialism might be too simple.