Consequentialism and Utilitarianism

Question 1

What is consequentialism?

Answer 1

An action is morally right if and only if it produces the best consequences overall (the most good) otherwise the action is morally wrong

Question 2

What is the most common way to determine the best consequences?

Answer 2

Utilitarianism

Question 3

What is Utilitarianism?

Answer 3

One way of determining the goodness or badness of consequences in terms of utility

Question 4

What is the principle of utility?

Answer 4

An action is morally right if and only it produces the greatest net amount futility overall

Question 5

What is classical utilitarianism?

Answer 5

an action is morally right if and only if it produces the greatest aggregate utility

Question 6

What is aggregate utility?

Answer 6

The sum of positive and negative utilities for everyone affected by the action

Question 7

Act utilitarianism

Answer 7

An action is morally right if and only if it maximizes aggregate utility like classical utilitarianism (commonsense is whatever)

Question 8

Role utilitarianism

Answer 8

An action is morally right if and only if it is required by an optimific social rule (optimific means it would generally maximize aggregate utility if everyone followed it) (pro commonsense)

Question 9

What do utilitarians say about the trolly problem?

Answer 9

In the switch case: killing one is better than killing five; in the footbridge case: killing one is worse than killing five

Question 10

The supererogation problem (AU)

Answer 10

1. An action is supererogatory if and only if it is morally good but not required
2. Intuitively, some actions are supererogatory (eg giving to charity)
3. If utilitarianism is true, then there is no supererogatory actions

Question 11

The impartiality problem (UA)

Answer 11

1. Utilitarianism counts everyone’s utilities equally
2. We care more about some people than others
3. Some people’s well being seems to count more than others

Question 12

The injustice problem (UA)

Answer 12

1. If utilitarianism is true, then an action is morally right if and only if it maximizes net utility overall
2. Maximizing net utility overall may sometimes require acting unjustly
3. Unjust actions are morally wrong
4. Utilitarianism is false

Question 13

The problem of intrinsic wrongs (UA)

Answer 13

1. Some actions seem intrinsically wrong
2. According to utilitarianism, the moral status of an action is determined entirely by its effects
3. If the moral status of an action is determined entirely by its effects then there are no intrinsically wrong actions
4. Utilitarianism is false