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A 6 page essay that deals with aspects of Jim's moral choice, as described by Bernard Williams in his essay "Against Utilitarianism." Bibliography lists 3 sources.
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6 pages (~225 words per page)
File: KL9_khethqubw.doc
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listed below. Citation styles constantly change, and these examples may not contain the most recent updates. Ethics Questions Research Compiled for The
Paper Store, Enterprises Inc. By - Jims predicament Bernard Williams, in his essay "Against Utilitarianism," presents Jim, who finds himself "in the central
square of a small South American town," where twenty Indians are about to be executed by government soldiers in order to show the rest of the villagers the consequences of
protesting government policies (Williams, 2000, p. 254). The captain in charge, after determining that Jim is a foreigner on a botanical expedition, offers Jim a choice. Either he can accept
the so-called "privilege" of killing one of the Indians himself and the captain will allow the remainder of the condemned go free, or, Jim can refuse and all will die.
Williams points out that utilitarianism, in response to both of the ethical situations he outlines, promotes a clear course of action in each case. In regards to Jims situation,
utilitarianism indicates that he "should kill the Indian" (Williams, 2000, p. 255). Similarly, in regards to protagonist in Sophies Choice, utilitarianism would hold that Sophie had no alternative but
to choose between her children, as, if she did not, both would die rather than one. However, Kantian ethics is based on a set of totally different ideas that differ
markedly from those of utilitarianism. While utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of actions, when judging morality, Kant insisted that the most significant concern is not consequences but rather the
intentions behind those actions. In other words, Kant proposed that it is the motivation propelling actions that determine their ethical nature. Kant wrote: "Nothing can possibly be conceived in
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