“One death, and a thousand lives in exchange--it’s simple arithmetic.” -Raskolnikov Raskolnikov’s mathematical evaluation of the moral dilemma presented to him in Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment exemplifies the empirical view of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism attempts to distinguish between right and wrong by measuring a decision based on its calculated worth. Raskolnikov appears to employ the fundamentals of utilitarianism by pitting the negative consequences of murdering his old landlady against the positive benefits that her money would bestow onto society. However, a true follower of utilitarianism would be outraged a....

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