Benevolence and Beneficence

The Concepts of Beneficence and Benevolence

The term beneficence connotes acts of mercy, kindness, and charity, and perhaps even altruism, love, and humanity. In ordinary language, the notion is broad, but it is understood even more broadly in ethical theory, to include effectively all forms of action intended to benefit other persons. The language of a principle or rule of beneficence refers to a normative statement of a moral obligation to act for the benefit of others, helping them further their important and legitimate interests, often by preventing or removing possible harms. Many dimensions of business ethics appear to incorporate appeals to beneficence in this sense, even if elliptically. For example, when cigarette manufacturers are criticized for the way they market their products, the ultimate goal is the beneficent one of removing conditions that cause harm to persons. Similarly, when apparel manufacturers are criticized for not having good labor practices in factories, the ultimate goal is to obtain better working conditions, wages, and benefits for workers.

Whereas beneficence refers to an action done to benefit others, benevolence refers to the socially valuable character trait—or virtue—of being disposed to act for the benefit of others. An account of moral motives is often connected to a theory of the virtues, and benevolence has sometimes served as the prime example—for example, in the ethical theories of Francis Hutcheson and David Hume. Benevolence has seemed to these writers close to the essence of morality itself.

Acts of beneficence may be done from obligation, but they may also be performed from nonobligatory moral ideals, which are optional. However, not all exceptional beneficence rises to the level of the moral saint or moral hero. Saintly beneficence and benevolence are at the extreme end of a continuum of beneficent conduct and commitment that exceeds duty. A celebrated, though fuzzy, example of beneficence that rests somewhere on this continuum is the New Testament parable of the “good Samaritan.” In this parable, robbers have beaten and left half-dead a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. A Samaritan takes compassion on him, tends to his wounds, takes him to an inn, and stays with him. The Samaritan's actions are clearly beneficent and the motives benevolent. However, they do not seem—on the information given—to rise to the level of heroic or saintly conduct. The morally exceptional, beneficent person, then, may be laudable and worthy of emulation yet neither a moral saint nor a moral hero.

Historical Place in Ethical Theory

Celebrated writings in the history of ethical theory suggest that there is no one correct way to think about [Page 158]beneficence and benevolence. Several landmark ethical theories embrace these notions, in assorted ways. Utilitarianism is the most notable example, because its principle of utility is, in effect, nothing but a strong and demanding principle of beneficence. Other distinguished theories, such as Hume's moral psychology and virtue ethics, are not as demanding as utilitarianism but nonetheless make benevolence and utility their centerpieces. All such theories closely associate the goal of benefiting others with the goal of morality itself.

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