Dialogues - Bentham and Kant Flashcards
how far is Bentham’s Utilitarianism consistent with religious decision-making – God is irrelivant
Bentham’s utilitariamism was formulated independently of belief in God
Since God is irrelevant to the theory, then this suggests that Utilitarianism is inconsistent with any religious form of moral decision making
how far is Bentham’s Utilitarianism consistent with religious decision-making – self-interest is inevitable
self interest is inevitable, Christianity lacks this focus
Bentham envisaged that a properly utilitarian society must be secular one, it encouraged individuals to act against their own self-interest and that of the community as a whole
how far is Bentham’s Utilitarianism consistent with religious decision-making – religion is spiritual
unlike utilitarianism, religion has a spiritual dimension
religion emphasises the spiritual life and relationship with a personal God, this happiness is rooted in Heaven
while in Bentham, happiness is pointless if it is not quantifiable within society as we experience it in day to day living
how far is Bentham’s Utilitarianism consistent with religious decision-making – Christianity gives greater value to rules in decision-making
Christianity in general gives greater value to rules in decison making
e.g. DCT and NML are based on specific rules
In Act Utilitarianism, the ‘primary principle of Utility’ is more important than any rule, to the extent than any law or rule that does not maximise happiness/ minimise pain is a bad law or rule
how far is Bentham’s Utilitarianism consistent with religious decision-making – Christian moral decision-making has a focus on the weaker members in society
they focus on the meek, the poor, those who are diseased and suffering
Utilitarianism is not really compatible with this approach since it insists that every individual’s happiness counts as one
how far is Bentham’s Utilitarianism consistent with religious decision-making – In Christianity to be moral, a decision must be made in the right mental state
In Christianity, to be truly moral, a decision must be made in the right mental state
Bentham: the state of mind of the individual making moral decisions cannot be known as we cannot read minds
Christianity: agent’s mental state matters becasue God knows people’s thoughts
how far is Bentham’s Utilitarianism consistent with religious decision-making – Jesus compatible with utilitarianism
Jesus’ actions are utilitarian because he judges people by how they respond to the needy, he pointed to healing people and feeding the hungry
he also sees utilitarian arguments as relevant to an assessment of moral action - parable of the sheep and the goats - he says that those who ignored strangers, those needing clothes, etc. are punished by God, people are to be judged according to their response to situations of need, this is the heart of Bentham’s approach
how far is Bentham’s Utilitarianism consistent with religious decision-making – Jesus acts situationally
Similar to Act Utilitarianism (maximising utility in the situation), Jesus acts situationally
for both Jesus and Act Utilitarians, the situation dictates the response and when dealing with situations, laws may become irrelevant
how far is Bentham’s Utilitarianism consistent with religious decision-making – John Stuart Mill’s assessment
Mill claimed that there is a direct link between Utilitarianism and Christianity, Jesus made decisions by means of the ‘golden rule’, and so do utilitarians
“In the golden rule of Jesus of Nazareth, we read the complete spirit of the ethics of utility. To do as you would be done by, and to love your neighbour as yourself, constitute the ideal perfection of utilitarian morality”
how far is Bentham’s Utilitarianism consistent with religious decision-making –Bentham accepted religion in his assessment of self govern
Bentham accepted religion in his assessment of the feelings of self interest and sympathy by which he says that we are governed
Bentham does not exclude religion, rather religion comes under ‘self-interest’, it also comes under ‘sympathy’
For Bentham, the effect of religion on human thinking here is no more than psychological, since believed that religion was fundamentally untrue
Jesus’ principle of love is also acknowledged by Bentham, so Utilitarianism and Christianity both acknowledge the value of self-love
how far is Kant’s Categorical Imperative consistent with religious decision making – good will
Kant’s concept of the good will is at least compatible with Christian ideas about virtue
Good will is the only thing that is good without reservation or qualification - compatible - with Christian idea that the virtuous man is the one who freely practices the good
emphasis on intention and will in assessing morality is crucial
how far is Kant’s Categorical Imperative consistent with religious decision making – similarities between use of reason inn Kant and NML
Kant’s emphasis on the use of reason to define moral truths is similar to Aquinas’ use of reason to understand the NML
For Kant, practical reason chooses actions because they are good
For Aquinas, reason is a God-given faculty that underpins morality
how far is Kant’s Categorical Imperative consistent with religious decision making – ‘end’ of moral decision-making is similar for both Kant and Aquinas
the ‘end’ of moral decision-making is similar for both Kant and Aquinas
For Kant, the ‘end’ of moral activity is to achieve the perfect union of virtue and happiness in the summum bonum
For Aquinas, the end is union with God in the next life
how far is Kant’s Categorical Imperative consistent with religious decision making – Kant includes religious ideas
For Kant, his ‘postulates of practical reason’ include two religious ideas
Kant’s moral theory assumes beliefs about human nature and the work that are rooted completely in religion rather than in unaided reason
God and immortality are both required in order to make sense of human moral nature
how far is Kant’s Categorical Imperative consistent with religious decision making – universal
Kant’s principle of universalisability is clearly compatible with religious ideas concerning our behaviour to others
e.g. Jesus says in Luke 6:31, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do to you’
this is the essence of the Categorical Imperative/ principle of universalisability
