Chapter 8

Question 1

Which statement(s) summarize classical utilitarianism?

Answer 1

a. actions are judged to be right or wrong solely by virtue of their consequences.
b. in assessing consequences the only thing that matters is the amount of happiness or unhappiness that is created.
c. Each person’s happiness counts the same.

Question 2

According to classical utilitarianism

Answer 2

right actions are those that create the greatest balance of happiness over unhappiness.

Question 3

According to Mill the utilitarian doctrine is that

Answer 3

happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable as an end.

Question 4

According to classical Utilitarians happiness…

Answer 4

happiness is pleasure.

Question 5

According to classical Utilitarians pleasure…

Answer 5

pleasure includes all mental states that feel good.

Question 6

The idea that pleasure is the one ultimate good and pain the ultimate evil is known as

Answer 6

Hedonism.

Question 7

Hedonism has always been an attractive theory of ethics

Answer 7

because of its simplicity.

Question 8

Hedonism expresses the plausible notion that things are good or bad

Answer 8

because of how they make us feel.

Question 9

To determine whether an action is right Utilitarians believe that

Answer 9

we should look at what happens as a result of doing it.

Question 10

If things other than consequences are important in determining what is right

Answer 10

utilitarianism is wrong.

Question 11

One of utilitarianisms most serious shortcomings is that

Answer 11

it is incompatible with the ideal of justice.

Question 12

Utilitarianism is at odds with the idea that

Answer 12

people have rights that should not be trampled on.

Question 13

If consequences are all that matter utilitarianism has problems recognizing that

Answer 13

there are facts about the past that relevant to determining our obligations.

Question 14

One problem with the idea that there must be an equal concern for all people is that

Answer 14

this places too high a demand on us.

Question 15

Faithful adherence to the utilitarian standard would require us

Answer 15

to give away our resources until we’ve lowered our standard of living to the level of the neediest of people.

Question 16

Philosophers call supererogatory acts

Answer 16

generosity that goes beyond the call of duty.

Question 17

Philosophers call supererogatory acts

Answer 17

attaching sanctions to rules is the only way to enforce them.

Question 18

An ethic such as utilitarianism that promotes the general welfare

Answer 18

would force us to abandon most of our endeavors. **more?

Question 19

According to Rachels none of us is willing to treat everyone equally

Answer 19

since it would require us to abandon our special relationships with friends and family.

Question 20

According to Rachels when we are impartial

Answer 20

we miss out on intimacy, love, affection and friendship.

Question 21

According to Rachels anti-utilitarian arguments make unreasonable assumptions

Answer 21

when they claim certain actions are required that are obviously immoral.

Question 22

. According to Rachel’s one difficulty with Utilitarian is that

Answer 22

individual actions should be referenced to the principle of utility.

Question 23

A revised version of utilitarianism

Answer 23

1) individual actions would no longer be judged by the principle of utility.
2) would ask what set of rules is optimal from a utilitarian standpoint.

Question 24

According to Rachels the claim that utilitarianism is wrong because it conflicts with common moral consciousness can be answered by claiming that

Answer 24

common moral consciousness is wrong.

Question 25

According to Rachels the claim that common sense morality cannot be trusted

Answer 25

may turn out to be utilitarianisms greatest contribution.