applied ethics

Question 1

what would Bentham (act-based hedonistic utilitarianism) say about lying?

Answer 1

permissible if lying creates more happiness/pleasure than telling the truth

if not, its immoral

Question 2

what would Mill (rule-based hedonistic utilitarianism) say about lying?

Answer 2

lying is mostly immoral because usually it jeopardises relationships and weakens bonds of trust that human community is built on

but sometimes there are exceptions and we should lie to fulfil another pleasure-generating rule if its more important

Question 3

what would Singer (act-based preference utilitarianism) say about lying?

Answer 3

its permissible if lying aligns with the most preferences, but immoral if not

Question 4

what would Kant say about lying?

Answer 4

the maxim of lying is a contradiction in conception when universalised, and uses others as a means to an end

therefore lying goes against the categorical imperative and means you take full moral responsibility for the consequences

Question 5

what would Aristotle say about lying?

Answer 5

not categorical about it, but it usually ends up as a vice so generally (depending on the person and the situation) is better to avoid as it doesn’t contribute to eudaimonia

Question 6

what would Bentham (act-based hedonistic utilitarianism) say about stealing?

Answer 6

Stealing may be right or wrong depending on how much pleasure it generates

Question 7

what would Mill (rule-based hedonistic utilitarianism) say about stealing?

Answer 7

Generally its wrong as it breaks trust which is the basic foundation of human community, but if another more important rule overrides it then it can be moral depending on the situation

Question 8

what does Singer (act-based preference utilitarianism) say about stealing?

Answer 8

stealing may be right or wrong depending on how well it aligns with people’s preference

Question 9

would does Kant say about stealing?

Answer 9

stealing as a universalised maxim faces a contradiction in conception (as the concept of private property ceases to exist) and it uses people as a means to an end so its wrong

also, breaking the law is wrong bc it treats everyone in society as a means to an end UNLESS the law is unjust

Question 10

what would Aristotle say about stealing?

Answer 10

certain acts can NEVER be done out of virtue/doctrine of the mean.

stealing is one of them: stealing is always a vice of excess or deficiency

Question 11

what would Bentham say about simulated killing?

Answer 11

morally acceptable as it will increase pleasure

Question 12

what would Mill say about simulated killing?

Answer 12

in general, simulated killing may decrease happiness if it makes people more likely to be inclined to killing, meaning a general rule against it is ideal

Question 13

what would Singer say about simulated killing?

Answer 13

the morality of it depends on whether it aligns with the most preferences or not

Question 14

what would Kant say about Simulated killing?

Answer 14

no major objection: it does not lead to contradictions in conception/will, or treats others as means to ends.

BUT we do have an imperfect duty to develop morally, and simulated killing (like being cruel to animals) may hinder this

Question 15

Aristotle on simulated killing

Answer 15

depends on the situation and how often you do it, but it has the potential to cultivate a vice of violence and develop habits of unkindness (even if the acts themselves aren’t inherently bad)

Question 16

Bentham on eating animals

Answer 16

bad because it causes pain in animals which outweighs the pleasure of eating them

Question 17

mill on eating animals

Answer 17

as a general rule we shouldn’t as it creates pain, but in certain circumstances other rules triumph.

But, animals only feel lower pleasures so it doesn’t matter so much

Question 18

singer on eating animals

Answer 18

to privilege human pain and pleasure over animals is speciesist, so eating animals is immoral

Question 19

kant on eating animals

Answer 19

categorical imperative only applies to rational beings, so animals are excluded. There is no contradiction in conception and will. BUT being cruel to animals violates the duty we have towards ourselves to cultivate an attitude of compassion.

cruel farming bad, but eating them isn’t inherently bad

Question 20

aristotle on eating animals

Answer 20

eudaimonia doesn’t apply to animals as they don’t have a rational soul. so no issue with eating animals.

BUT some modern virtue ethicists such as Cora Diamond argues that it can be wrong if done in a cruel way (vice of deficiency of compassion)