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Discussion E: The Dialectic
Identify a topic we have studied up to this point that you feel you have most fully understood.
In your own words, explain your pet theory as if you were teaching a high schooler. Make sure to include the elements that you think are the most fundamental to the theory.
Discussion E: The Dialectic Answer
In the history of philosophy, utilitarianism has shown to be one of the most compelling and persuasive approaches to normative ethics. Proto-utilitarian positions can be found throughout the history of ethical thought, even if they weren’t completely stated until the 19th century.
Though there are many different versions of the viewpoint, utilitarianism is commonly understood to be the belief that the ethically correct action is the one that generates the greatest amount of good.