Utilitarianism theory states that actions are right if they are useful or for the benefit of large number of people (pg 59, Moral Issues in Business). A utilitarian would say that health is major concern for the majority. Various health issues are caused by direct or indirect effect of drinking large sugary drinks including obesity. More then half of the US population suffer from obesity and one of the factors that contributes to it is drink- ing large sugary drinks.
Good health would produce greatest possible balance of good over bad for everyone.
A Utilitarian would argue saying wouldn’t good health makes people happier. Good health also means less health cost and government spending less money into something that can be easily controlled and spending money on something that is much more needed like free college education. A utilitarian would support government ban on large sugary drinks argu- ing on the fact that ban on large sugary drinks would cause less health problems which in turn would make everyone happy.
Libertarianism is a philosophy of personal liberty- the liberty of each person to live ac- cording to his own choices free from the interference of other (pg 113, Moral Issues in Business). Libertarians would oppose the to the ban of large sugary drinks. They would argue that if should be personal choice if people want to drink large drinks or small drinks. Libertarians believe in liv- ing life on our own please.
They would argue about government interference on people making their choice since it would go against their value. Rawls conceives society as a cooperative venture among its members and elaborates a conception of justice that is thoroughly social (pg 119, Moral Issues in Business). Rawls would not agree on soda ban in NYC since Rawls believe in each person to have equal right. They would probably argue against of mayor Bloomberg plan on banning large sugary drinks. Rawls would claim that each person have equal right and equal liberty to drink any kind and size of drink they want.
The only way Rawls would let the soda ban be effective is by providing justification that it would be work for the least advantaged members of society. By least advantaged means people who are suffering from disease related to drinking sugary drinks. Should the ban be age specific ? Different group of people would think this in a different way. A Utilitarian would impose age re- striction on sugary drinks since they would argue that sugary drinks are major health concerns and major factor to obesity and issues related to it.
A Libertarian would say it would be personal choice to drink sugary drinks or not and Rawls would argue that age should not have any thing to do with sugary drinks. Everyone has equal rights and equal justice. In my opinion there should be not be age restriction on sugary drinks. Young people have more active life style. Caffeine and sugar could be one of the major source of energy. It should be parent’s responsibility to impose the limitation on how much sugary drink they should be al- lowed to drink.