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How does utilitarianism evaluate difficult decisions in medicine?
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Bioethics
A Roman bust of Hippocrates, copied from a Greek original, c. 3rd century bce; in the collection of the Antichità di Ostia, Italy.
In the context of bioethics, utilitarianism evaluates difficult medical decisions by focusing on the consequences of actions. A core tenet of this normative ethical theory is that an action is considered morally right if it promotes the greatest amount of happiness or well-being for the greatest number of people compared to any other available alternative.1
When applied to medical dilemmas, utilitarianism requires practitioners to weigh the outcomes of their choices to maximize positive results and minimize suffering. This approach often involves:21
- Consequentialist Analysis: Decisions are assessed based on their projected impact on patient health and broader social interests.1
- Rule Utilitarianism: To address concerns about individual actions, some utilitarians use a "rule" framework, where actions are judged by whether they follow a rule that, if generally practiced, would produce the best consequences.3
- Prioritizing Suffering: Some modern perspectives, known as "negative" utilitarianism, argue that the moral priority should be the prevention or elimination of suffering rather than merely increasing happiness.3
While utilitarianism provides a framework for decision-making, it is often contrasted with Kantianism, which emphasizes autonomy and individual rights regardless of consequences.14