IndexPhilosophy and JusticeUtilitarianismMarxismConclusionPhilosophy and JusticeFor many centuries humanity has put forward its ideas about what a just society should be. There's a lot that has to do with the question of what makes a society just. Can a democracy have a just society? Can a communist nation have a just society? Can a monarchy have a just society? Regardless of what kind of nation a society is, there is some kind of philosophy about how justice should work in that society. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is “the theory that an action is right if it seeks to promote the greatest amount of happiness in the world at large” (Mitchell, 2015, p. 402) Philosophers of utilitarianism will ask “ What is more useful, or utilitarian?” (Mitchell, 2015, p. 402) and they will answer the question by saying “more pleasure and less pain for the greatest number of people”. (Mitchell, 2015, p. 402) With utilitarianism, the phrase “be careful what you wish for” can be taken to a whole new level. For example, if utilitarian ideas became laws, there could be a law that would force people to donate blood. If suddenly there was a strong need for your blood type and a liter of your blood could save thousands, then the utilitarian law of doing what is best for the greatest number of people would force you to give up a liter of your blood. the time you wanted or not. An extreme utilitarian might even argue that you have to keep donating your blood until it's all over, forcing you to give up your life to save more people. In utilitarian philosophy, the words good and evil refer to pleasant and painful. Utilitarians “believe that we should be honest in seeking pleasure and in trying to avoid pain.” (Mitchell, 2015, p. 402) With this belief system, all forms of sexuality would be considered good as long as they bring pleasure to those who practice it. Where utilitarian philosophy could cause real confusion is in body building. Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was still in his twenties said: “Pain makes me grow, growing is what I want, so for me pain is pleasure”. (Manformation, 2015, p. 1) Along with utilitarian philosophy comes the philosophy of hedonism. Hedonism is “the theory that pleasure is the highest good” (Mitchell, 2015, p. 403). There is individual hedonism, in which individuals seek pleasure for themselves. Most people will agree that this does not lead to justice. Then there is social hedonism, where people seek maximum pleasure for society. Utilitarians believe that social hedonism brings justice to society, "if more people experience a balance between pleasure and pain rather than vice versa." (Mitchell, 2015, p. 403).MarxismMarxism, named after the nineteenth-century German philosopher Karl Marx, brings economics into the philosophy of what makes a good and just society. Marx was concerned about the influence that industrialization was having on the middle class workforce. Karl noticed that industrialization mixed with capitalism created a society in which most workers had nothing to sell while waiting for their jobs. This meant that the vast majority of citizens in society became nothing more than working machines. (South University Online, 2015, para. 1). If money and productivity are placed before justice and quality of life, this leads to abuse and oppression of workers. Furthermore, “the economic and social gap between workers and classes. 408).
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