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The Methods of Ethics

Henry Sidgwick published the book ‘The Methods of Ethics’ in 1974. The book mainly examines three forms of ethical theories; utilitarianism, egoism, and intuitionism. Many ethicists believe that Sidgwick supported the utilitarian approach more than the others. Sidgwick proposed that these three ethical theories should coincide and lead a person to make a similar decision no matter the methods they use. He examines the strengths and weaknesses of each approach and gives possible improvements that can be made so that each ethical position can be made into its best possible version.

To begin, Sidgwick that ethics should be based on common sense, which he refers to as common sense morality. The ordinary people in the society should give their views on what they consider to be ethical and this is the basis for moral theories. The main focus of the book is to provide a clear understanding of conventional moral theories of utilitarianism and egoism and also to suggest ways to make them better in areas where they may be vague or inconsistent. In his other works, Sidgwick is known to be a supporter of utilitarianism. He speaks positively of the theory in many parts of ‘The Methods of Ethics’ but does not explicitly endorse it over the others.

The three standard methods used by the ordinary man in decision making are egoisms, utilitarianism, and intuitionism. Intuitionism means that from the onset, we can be able to tell what is right and wrong without too much thought. Egoism dictates that each person should always pursue what is best for them regardless of how it affects the others. Utilitarianism, on the other hand, underlines the greatest good as the basis of decision-making (Sidgwick). A person should choose an action that brings the most benefit to the maximum number of people involved. Sidgwick gives suggestions on how each of these three methods can be improved so that the same reasoning can be used in choosing a course of action. He, however, acknowledges that it is impossible to come up with a completely unified method of reasoning.

According to Sidgwick, utilitarianism and intuitionism are the easiest to reconcile. Many moral principles applied in life are claimed to be self-evident although they are not so obvious. However, there are some that are quite clear. These self-evident axioms turn out to be compatible with the utilitarian principle of decision-making. In addition to this, the moral basis of intuitionism is often full of utilitarian assumptions. It is infinitely more difficult to reconcile the laws of egoism and utilitarianism. The pursuit of self-interest clashes with morality in many situations (Sidgwick). Sidgwick explains that we cannot always demonstrate that the two coincide. The only reconciliation between the two is the existence of God who uses punishments and rewards to ensure that a person always acts ethically. On the other hand, he also explains that such religious references should be avoided in ethics; the theories should be based on science.

In conclusion of the conflicts, Sidgwick says that people often have two conflicting ethical voices speaking to them, and it is impossible to reconcile the two (Sidgwick). Sidgwick greatly influenced many ethical theorists that came after him. The founders of utilitarian theory including John Stuart Mill and William Paley did not examine the relationship with other theories of ethics. Sidgwick’s approach to show compatibility between utilitarianism and other theories of egoism and intuitionism increased the popularity of utilitarianism. He gave a careful analysis of each method including the problems associated with each, and this has been of great value to ethical theorists that came after him. Even in modern times, it helps in the comparison of common sense and ethical principles in making decisions.

Works Cited

Sidgwick, Henry. The methods of ethics. Hackett Publishing, 1981.