Introduction
Utilitarianism is a concept which provides principles for decision-making in society. It advocates for animal rights due to their capacity to suffer. The theory advocates for equal consideration of interests and intrinsic value of happiness. It argues that net utility is essential in determining the decisions a person will make to promote happiness and reduce suffering. Utilitarianism is an ethical concept that advocates for animal rights by providing principles that guide decisions of individuals in society.
Part I
Utilitarianism is an ethical concept that advocates for actions necessary to promote overall happiness. It rejects the actions that can cause displeasure or unhappiness (Davies, 2017). The purpose of the utilitarianism theory is to guide individuals in decision-making to improve society.
The core principles of utilitarianism are happiness or pleasure have intrinsic value, everyone’s interest should receive equal consideration, and that actions are right as long as they generate happiness (Davies, 2017). For example, Singer argues that everyone should receive equal considerations based on how they would suffer from a decision. He indicates that a discussion about abortion may not necessarily involve men, but women who get pregnant.
Utilitarianism also argues that when a person is faced with a moral dilemma they need to calculate the net utility. The net utility is a concept which argues that every action will cause happiness and unhappiness (Bègue & Laine, 2017). Therefore, an individual must choose actions that will generate the least unhappiness and the greatest pleasure. For example, a driver may choose to kill one person compared to five since saving five lives would result in more happiness. Therefore, the greatest happiness principle is a determining factor when an individual is faced with a moral dilemma.
Part II
Utilitarianism argues that human beings should stop killing animals since the act inflicts pain and suffering on them. According to Salinger, people should not treat others based on their abilities, qualifications, or positions, but on the ability to suffer. Both human beings and animals can suffer and thus people should cease supporting arguments that would lead to suffering (Davies, 2017). The theory also argues that people should give equal consideration to the interests of others. If they fail to respect the interest of animals, it would result in speciesism. Speciesism is compared to other forms of discrimination which can lead to unhappiness including racism and sexism (Bègue & Laine, 2017). According to utilitarianism calculation, people should make choices based on the consideration not to inflict pain on others. The theory also stipulates that society should not award special treatment to people based on their position, wealth, or class in society (Bègue & Laine, 2017). They should treat the rich and poor equally by ensuring they observe the principle of net utility. Similarly, people should avoid inflicting suffering on animals due to their inabilities, since they can also suffer pain like human beings.
Conclusion
Utilitarianism theory is critical in understanding the actions people should take to improve society. One of the ways of improving society is by determining the decisions people make. It advocates for animal rights by stating that decisions should be based on the ability to suffer. Utilitarianism advocates for equal consideration of interests to determine if an action is right or wrong. It also provides a concept of net utility which involves making decisions to limit unhappiness and increasing pleasure.
