Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism in the context of military technology claims that people should do what would promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. The majority of the population’s opinion towards this subject differs from one country to another however it is safe to say that the majority, made up of the civilians, have very strong objections against the use of the overly destructive military weapons.

At first impression, applying a utilitarian approach may seem effective in the sense that although killing is considered immoral, it is the best option during times of war.

The problem with having a utilitarian approach is that there is a significant number of people who may disagree with the majority. This includes the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces and the media. They might argue that these weapons are ‘necessary evils’ and that the safety of the people is more important than what many civilians believe in -- morality. Consequently, treaties and conventions have been signed to serve the purpose of controlling the use and development of weapons of mass destruction.

Ultimately, the fact stays the main purpose of these weapons is not to subdue the groups of individuals that pose danger to a particular country but is “purely anti-personnel.” However, there remains certain loopholes to the utilitarianism with military technology.

As with the other ethical theories, it will be very difficult to determine whether the government currently applies a utilitarian thinking with information regarding its core intentions filtered by the media and the government itself.

Utilitarianism vs Morality

Analysing the social and ethical implications of military development

Military Technology Out of Control?