Questioning the Effectiveness of Affirmative Action Policies

This essay will analyze and thoroughly examine the ethics of affirmative action. At first, a short explanation of the issue under discussion will be given as to help the reader understand what is this essay all about. Along with this explanation, the relevance to the business world will be stated. Furthermore, the essay will approach the ethical problem both from a consequentialist and a non-consequentialist standpoint. These two perspectives will be interpreted by taking Mills utilitarianism as an example of the former and Kants categorical imperative as an example of the latter. Finally, a personal analysis of the issue under discussion will be established and a conclusion as well. Briefly, the essay will argue that affirmative†¦show more content†¦It seems that the rule utilitarian approach would implicate that we should decide which public policies best obey the rules. Reasonably, affirmative action policies would be judged on whether they coincide with rules such as the equal opportunity principle. With that in mind, we must examine problems with Mills theory. First, Mill appears to retain the right to revoke any rules if so doing aids the overall end (Rachel 106-107). Second, his principle of utility somehow allows extreme inequality which can lead to oppression (majorities against minorities). Third, it is challenging to determine the consequences of all the different rules as there are various social contexts in which such rules must be implemented (Taylor 65). Lets now look at Kants theory of the categorical imperative. According to Kant, the categorical imperative is an ethical standard that determines the moral laws that ought to guide action. Kants formulations of this standard states, â€Å"Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law† and â€Å"Act so that you treat humanity, wether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only† (Hunting 231). 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