2.2B- Utilitarianism

Question 1

What type of theory is Utilitarianism? and what does this mean?

Answer 1

• Utilitarianism is a teleological theory
• Teleological theories of ethics look at the consequences, the reuslts of an action, to decide whether it’s right or wrong. Therefore, Utilitarism is a conseqeuntialist theory.
• Utility here means usefulness. Utilitarianism works out the utility of an action based on assessing the outcome.

Question 2

The key basics of Utilitarianism

Answer 2

• Utilitarians argue that everyone should do the thing that produces the most ‘useful’ end.
• The principle of utility is oftene xpressed as ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’.
• Good is defined in terms of pleasure or happiness- so an act is right or wrong according to the good or bad so that results from the act and the good act is the most pleasureable.
• In the eyes of Utilitarians, more pleasre and less pain = morally good act.

Question 3

What is the Hedonic Calculus

Answer 3

• To find out just how morally good and act is, Bentham created a way of measuring pleasure and pain, to give each act and it’s consequences a value.
• The Hedonic Calculus calculates the benefit of harm of an act through it’s consequences.

Question 4

The Seven principles

Answer 4

Bentham took 7 prinicples to apply to the outcome of an act:
Purity
Remoteness
Reproducibility/Richness
Intensity
Certainty
Extent
Duration

Question 5

A key example: The Trolley Problem

Answer 5

• A trolley is hurtling on a track towards 5 people, but you have the oppotunity to swap the track, where it would kill 1 person instead, what should you do?
• It is a philosophical problem where devastation will occur, but people have to make a choice.
• Another variation is pushing someone over a bridge to stop trolley, again killing one person.

Question 6

Support for Utilitarianism

Answer 6

• Bernard Williams thinks it’s reasonable and the most logical to maximise everyone’s happiness
• The most realisitc approach as humans, we all want pleasure.
• Epixurus thinks it makes sense to use and follow Utilitarianism
• Dewar thinks Utilitarianism is embedded in most judgement and people’s mind.

Question 7

Criticisms for Utilitarianism

Answer 7

• Alastair MacIntyre is cautuious of using happiness as a measure because he thinks it might not be the moral thing.
• Oscar Wilde is thinkinh it would be selfish to prioritise yourself over others.
• W.D. Ross thinks just seeking pleasure is a very simplistic way to look and life and doesn’t reflect human’s complexities. Also, Nozick’s ‘experiment machine’.
• Dostoyevsky thinks it’s a very simplisitc approach, need to take into account morally valuable things as well.

Question 8

A conclusion to Utilitarianism

Answer 8

In conclusion, Utilitarianism, the measure of choosing the most pleasure with the least amount of pain, is supported by Bernard Williams, stating that pleasure ‘is integral for humans, however, Oscar Wilde says that happiness is too individual for wider decisions. Overall, the most convincing argument is for Utilitarianism as it seeks pleasure.

Question 9

Act Utilitarianism

Answer 9

Act Utilitarianism is a form of Utilitarianism which only considers the results, consequences or outcomes of a single act.

Question 10

Rule Utilitarianism

Answer 10

Rule Utilitarianism is a form of Utilitarianism which considers the consequences of the outcomes of a single act.