Thoughts on utilitarianism?

katsucats said:
I don't see what you think is being "forced" through utilitarianism that doesn't apply to any other moral theory that anyone comes up with -- if all moral good is considered to be morally obligatory. Nor do I see how utilitarianism prevents guilt. A person should feel guilty if he knowingly committed an action that did not maximize utility out of the options that were available to him at the time. Nor do I see how you would think that utilitarianism has too many factors to consider. No moral theory presumes that all human beings will be maximally moral at all time. Utilitarianism merely prescribes what would be maximally moral. By the definition of morality, people should strive towards moral good. This is not exclusive to utilitarianism, but applies to all moral theory. Utilitarianism does not demand that we are able to achieve the maximally good action in any incident, it only suggests what the maximally good action should be, the conditions that it would have to satisfy.

For example, you can apply every single criticism to Kant. Would you have to work out a logical puzzle in your mind of what action constitutes a categorical imperative, such that the world is still good even if everyone commits that action in that situation? Does Kantian deontology "force" you to make the correct determination to follow through on all your duties and obligations to every single possible body? Does your moral action cause anyone to be ignorant of all relevant factors, and put them in an unfair disadvantage? Does it prevent guilt (e.g. I didn't lie to the Nazi secret police, therefore I'm not responsible for the death of 100 Jews)?