Concept One (utilitarianism) Flashcards
Main branches of philosophy:
Logic, ethics, and metaphysics
Breakdown of Medical Ethics
Ethics, and morality
Definition of Medical Ethics
The philosophical study of moral problems as they relate to the health care feel and biological sciences. (applied ethics)
What was the history behind utilitarianism? (what kind of jump started it)
The industrial revolution and child labor, millions were unhappy and only minimal people were happy in this time period
The founders of the utilitarian theory
Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill
What is Utilitarianisms purpose?
To maximize the overall happiness and pleasure
What did Bentham think about defining pleasure?
Bentham believed it was undefinable and only the person who was feeling it could know.
What type of theory was Utilitarian?
Impartial (everyones happiness mattered)
Utilitarian Basics (3 main parts)
-Consequantailism- everything is about outcomes and consequences
-Welfarism-preffered consequences based on their happiness
-Equality and Impartiality- everyones happiness mattered the same
Consequenatalism definiton:
What sole determines the moral quality of an action is its OUTCOME
Welfarism defintion:
Consequences that matter are only the ones that affect you and your well being
Welfare defintion:
To obtain a reasonable degree of a quality of life in which a person prefers to have
Equality/Impartality definition:
Each persons happiness counts equally (this does not mean people get the same amount of happiness.)
Two different types of utilitarianism:
Act and Rule
Act utilitarianism:
Each individual action should seek to promote the greatest welfare for everyone (the greatest number)
