Seurausnäkökulma

Seurausnäkökulma, often translated as consequentialism, is a class of ethical theories that judges the morality of an action based solely on its outcomes or consequences. In consequentialist ethics, the rightness or wrongness of an act is determined by the goodness or badness of the results that flow from it. If an action produces good consequences, it is considered morally right; if it produces bad consequences, it is considered morally wrong. This contrasts with deontological ethics, which focuses on duties and rules, and virtue ethics, which emphasizes character.

There are several variations of consequentialism. Utilitarianism is perhaps the most well-known form, arguing that the best action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or well-being for the greatest number of people. Ethical egoism, another consequentialist theory, suggests that an action is right if it maximizes the agent's own self-interest. However, the most common interpretation of consequentialism focuses on general welfare.

A key challenge for consequentialism is predicting and evaluating all potential outcomes of an action, as consequences can be far-reaching and difficult to foresee. Furthermore, critics argue that consequentialism can sometimes justify actions that seem intuitively wrong if they lead to a sufficiently good outcome, potentially neglecting individual rights or justice. Despite these challenges, consequentialism remains a prominent and influential framework in ethical thought.