My personal moral philosophy derives in part from my expectation of becoming a nurse and therefore a person responsible for the well-being of others and in part from the philosophy of Act-Utilitarianism. Act-Utilitarianism is the doctrine that what makes an action right is that it maximizes happiness (Schick & Vaughn, 1999). Everyone is considered. It is also known as traditional Utilitarianism. Happiness is seen as the only thing that is intrinsically valuable. The total amount of happiness in the world should be maximized. Happiness is not meant in this approach to refer to transient physical or emotional pleasures alone. Instead, happiness is understood as contentment, comfort, security, and so forth.
No one's happiness is more valuable than anyone else's. One must identify actions that can be performed in the situation. One identifies stakeholders likely to be affected by any action, and considers how actions will affect others. The amount of happiness each group will receive from an action is calculated. The action that is most likely to produce the most happiness is therefore selected. This hedonic calculus takes into account the intensity, duration, and probability of happiness (Schick & Vaughn, 1999). In essence, this moral philosophy calls for careful consideration of the consequences of all actions and the degree to which an action is likely to harm or help others. It requires the individual to look beyond his or her own needs and interests and to consider others as well.
Overall, I have learned to make ethical decisions only after assessing the alternatives that are available to me and the likely consequences of each decision that I might make. While I would argue that one should not be focused totally on consequences or outcomes of ethical decisions, I believe that it is important to recognize that every action has both intended and unintended consequences and that these consequences can be damagi...