What are the strengths and weaknesses of consequentialism?

Answer 1

Consequentialism is the belief that the outcomes of actions, the consequences of certain normative properties decide the rightness or wrongness of the action. This is a moral or ethical theory that insists that the outcomes of any given action are what decided the good or badness of those actions. The major problem with such a belief is that it does little to inform the person acting on what is good or bad. In moral or ethical philosophies the greatest good to the greatest amount is generally accepted as the proper standard by which to judge an action. From a hedonist's point of view pleasure is good and pain is bad take that belief and combine it with consequentialism and suddenly skipping work to stay up all night at an orgy makes a whole lot of sense. Consequentialism can lead to many bad ideas. A member of a certain society allows the other members to sacrifice his or her life to the angry gods who have refused rain on the thirsty people. The society as a group murders this willing sacrifice so the gods might be appeased and suddenly it begins to rain and the people are saved. It was a good thing, by the rules of consequentialism, to murder that person and the consequences served the many. An extreme and primitive example, but it illustrates a major weakness in consequentilism.