Act Utilitarianism

Question 1

Who devised Act Utilitarianism?

Answer 1

Jeremy Bentham

Question 2

What kind of theory is Act Utilitarianism?

Answer 2

Teleological & Relativist/subjective

Question 3

What are the three points to utilitarianism?

Answer 3

1. Views on what drove human beings
2. Principles of utility
3. the Hedonic Calculus

Question 4

What are the motivations for human beings?

Answer 4

Pain and pleasure

Question 5

How is the rightfulness or the wrongfulness of an action determined?

Answer 5

Unity– ‘Theory of Usefulness’

Question 6

“An action is right if…”

Answer 6

“… it produces the greatest good for the greatest number.”

Question 7

What is the hedonic calculus?

Answer 7

It weighs the pain and pleasure guaranteed by moral actions.

Question 8

Name the first four factors of the hedonic calculus.

Answer 8

1. Intensity
2. Duration
3. Certainty
4. Extent

Question 9

Name the final three factors of the hedonic calculus.

Answer 9

5. Propinquity
6. Fecundity
7. Purity

Question 10

What does propinquity mean in relation to utilitarianism?

Answer 10

Nearer the pleasure, the better:
present consequences, not future

Question 11

What does fecundity mean in relation to utilitarianism?

Answer 11

the more chances the pleasure will be repeated (or will result in other pleasures), the better.