Contemporary Moral Problems, Mehl

  Steps for a Utilitarian Moral Analysis of a Case

  1) Consider the possible courses of action.

  2) Figure the benefits (goods, well-being, happiness) and drawbacks (evils, suffering) of each course to all stakeholders (all upon whom the action will impact).  This will require some determination of what is good, (or bad) and a means to weight the good or bad.

Some obvious candidates:
            Goods: Basic physiological needs satisfied: food, clothing, shelter, medical care.
            Basic psychological needs include: mental and emotional development, security, social relations, self-esteem, self-actualization opportunities.

Evils: Suffering from a lack of basic physiological needs being satisfied.
            Suffering from a lack of basic psychological needs being satisfied: insecurity, lack of safety, lack of self-esteem, lack of opportunities for self-actualization

  3) Consider which course of action produces the greatest good effects for the greatest number of stakeholders, or conversely, which produces the least amount of bad effects for the greatest number.

  4) Choose that course of action that achieves #3.

  Steps for a Kantian Moral Analysis of a Case

  1) Formulate a possible course of action in rule form.

  2) Universalize the rule: consider what would happen if this rule held for everyone, everywhere and always.

  3) Ask yourself is it still POSSIBLE for me to pursue this course of action under such universalized conditions?

If not, it is wrong.
If so, ask yourself,

  4) Is it a course of action I am WILLING to pursue, given that my rule for action will hold for all, everywhere and always, and hence can be applied to me by others.  In other words, am I willing to say that as I can do this to you, you can do this to me (rule of reversibility, Golden Rule)

If not, it is wrong.
If so, ask yourself,

  5) Is it a course of action that does not treat others as merely means, but also treats them as ends in themselves, as individuals with their own subjective lives.   In short, does it RESPECT the other as a PERSON.

If so, then it is permissible.
If not, then it is wrong. 

   6) Choose only courses of action where the rule, which provides the reason for the action, can meet the conditions above.