Ethical judgments often add complex implications to the pursuit of knowledge, regardless of the domain of knowledge. In the arts and natural sciences, ethics can be applied in different ways. For the arts, ethics are often questioned when determining whether or not it is worth sacrificing ethics for artistic choices and messages. In contrast, in the natural sciences, ethics is often debated as part of the quest for new knowledge. There are many different criteria when it comes to ethically justifying knowledge, all based on different perspectives; Whether these judgments directly impact knowledge production or come into play ex post depends largely on how ethics is viewed. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory that suggests that the goodness of an action depends on its consequences. When we view both areas of knowledge from a utilitarian perspective, ethical judgments would be based on assumptions by weighing potential benefits against consequences. But do the results alone provide a solid basis for raising ethical boundaries? This is problematic because in science it is often difficult to predict the implications of scientific research; similarly, in the arts, it is rarely possible to predict what messages audiences will take away from a work. Furthermore, when unexpected effects arise in either area, ethical considerations can often be re-evaluated. In adhering to utilitarianism, there is a conflict between limiting knowledge production from the start or moving forward and risking repercussions. Rightly considered, utilitarianism is a practical method for judging ethics, because we are generally concerned not only with acquiring knowledge, but also with how it constitutes a... middle of paper ... reasons. However, it was later found to be more effective as a herbicide; then, during the Vietnam War, this substance became a chemical warfare product when it became contaminated and became toxic, subsequently injuring and killing hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese. Although Agent Orange later became a chemical of mass destruction, Galston had positive intentions and the agent was initially intended to be a beneficial discovery. This shows how virtue ethics and utilitarianism contrast; while utilitarianism suggests persecuting Galston because of the unintended consequences of Agent Orange, virtue ethics views Galston's goal as evidence that he was. The fact that the destructive effects of the agent did not occur until later is an example of how ethical judgments failed to predict and limit the impact of chemicals. research which then had fatal consequences.