What does consequentialism mean in ethics?

Consequentialism = whether an act is morally right depends only on consequences (as opposed to the circumstances or the intrinsic nature of the act or anything that happens before the act).

What is the main idea of consequentialism?

Consequentialism is a theory that says whether something is good or bad depends on its outcomes. An action that brings about more benefit than harm is good, while an action that causes more harm than benefit is not. The most famous version of this theory is utilitarianism.

What is the meaning consequentialist?

Definition of consequentialism : the theory that the value and especially the moral value of an act should be judged by the value of its consequences.

What are the main elements of consequentialist ethics?

Consequentialism is based on two principles:

• Whether an act is right or wrong depends only on the results of that act.
• The more good consequences an act produces, the better or more right that act.

What is consequentialist ethics example?

Consequentialism is an ethical theory that judges whether or not something is right by what its consequences are. For instance, most people would agree that lying is wrong. But if telling a lie would help save a person’s life, consequentialism says it’s the right thing to do.

What is another name for consequentialism?

— Mozi, Mozi (5th century BC) Part I. State consequentialism, also known as Mohist consequentialism, is an ethical theory that evaluates the moral worth of an action based on how much it contributes to the welfare of a state.

Is consequential positive or negative?

Consequential validity refers to the positive or negative social consequences of a particular test. For example, the consequential validity of standardized tests include many positive attributes, including: improved student learning and motivation and ensuring that all students have access to equal classroom content.

What is the difference between utilitarianism and consequentialism?

Indeed, utilitarianism and consequentialism share many of the same tenets. One difference, however, is consequentialism does not specify a desired outcome, while utilitarianism specifies good as the desired outcome.

What do consequentialist theories focus on?

Consequentialist theories claim that rightness and wrongness (and also virtue and vice) are determined, either directly or indirectly, by the non-moral value of consequences, or outcomes—that is, consequent states of affairs.

Are consequentialism and utilitarianism the same?

What are the three main elements of consequentialism?

Consequentialists have distinguished three components of their theory: (1) their thesis about what makes acts morally wrong, (2) their thesis about the procedure agents should use to make their moral decisions, and (3) their thesis about the conditions under which moral sanctions such as blame, guilt, and praise are …

What are the types of consequentialism?

Forms of consequentialism

• Utilitarianism.
• Rule consequentialism.
• State consequentialism.
• Ethical egoism.
• Ethical altruism.
• Two-level consequentialism.
• Motive consequentialism.
• Negative consequentialism.