Js Mill Rule of utilitarism Flashcards
Who was Js mill?
Civil servant and member of parliament, developed his theory from jeremy benthams. Distinguished his theory by quantity and quality of pleasure and by the introduction of rules. Harm principle?
What is the tyranny of the majority?
One person’s unhappiness could be ignored if the majority were happy (this is what Js mill disagreed with and the quantity of pleasure)
What was js mills quote about the types of pleasure?
“it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied. Better to be socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied”
Why did Mill disagree with Benthams Hedonic calculus?
He thought the calculus only tried to measure the quantity of happiness an action could produce, mill thought it was important to measure the quality.
What are higher pleasures?
Those which are intellectual and stimulate the mind; reading, having debates
What are lower pleasures?
Those which satisfy the body, having sex, eating
What did Mill mean by better to be socrates disatisfie than a pig satisfied?
Only humans can attain such higher pleasures, animals can’t.
How did Mill refer to Aristolte?
Mill agreed with Aristole in the way that pleasure was no mere gratification but includes the idea of well-being,living well and being fulfilled.
Which pleasures more inferior?
Mill argued that higher pleasures are superior to lower pleasures, as they help humans to develop their intellect. Lower pleasures are lower because they don’t enrich or enhance the intellect or develop the quality of an individual. Eating dish and chips; only satisfies bodily needs
What quote helps back up the higher and lower pleasure?
“over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign”
Why to Mill were higher pleasures important?
People do have to obtain the lower pleasures; eat and sleep. But this a basic requirement, it is not good to focus solely on the lower pleasures, the greatest aim in life is to achieve the higher pleasures.
What does Mills argument do universallu?
In contrast with Bentham’s Mills tries to suit the need of others, and isn’t individual. Supports the idea that people should put the interests of the group before their own. As society is made up of individuals, for society to be happy, individuals need to be collectively happy. “duty, rule’ for society to protect the happiness
What is the harm principle?
A principle that says anyone can do what they want to do, unless it does cause any harm on anybody else
What is strong-rule utilitarianism?
Claims an action is right, if and only it follows th rules, the rules should never be disobeyed. These rules would be used in nature and if applied in any situation would lead to the greats happiness for the greatest number. A strong rule utilitarian believes the rules should never be broken as they’re there to promote happiness
What is weak-rule utilitarianism?
A person tries to allow for the fact in extreme cases the rule created needs to be broken to achieve happiness ‘do not kill- might have to be broken in ww2
What was mills quotation about a person?
“all action is for the sake of some end and rules of action”
promoting happiness is the right principle
promoting unhappiness is the wrong principle
What was crisps idea?
haidon and the oyster,
oyster would live forever and pleasure would surpass
What did mil say about higher pleasures?
if it would be chosen over another pleasure even if it was accompanied by discomfit”
and “if it would not be traded by a higher quanitty of the other pleasure”
What is the tyranny of the majority?
one persons happiness could be ignored if the majority were happy,
What does the quotation “it is better to be a human dissatrifised than a pig satisfied”
Pigs lack knowledge. only human beings could attain higher pleases, animals cant
mil argued tat humans couldn’t be super happy if didn’t aim towards intellectual pleasures
What does mil say in his boom “on liberty’?
The government cant interfere with the freedom of an individual to pursue their own happinesss by compelling them to do something that goes against their happiness unless the way the individual chooses to find their own happiness is detrimental to others
What were mils 3 factors?
happiness is desirable since we all desire it
happiness is the only desirable en
everyone ought to aim for happiness of everyone, as increasing general happiness will increase my own.
why is this utilitariaism known as rule?
rules can be instigated which ensure that principle of utility is being fulfilled; do not murder
Hoq is mils theory deonolotival?
the principle “stealing is wrong” is a goof rule and bring maxim happiness would create good happiness for whole of society.
How is mils theory teological?
maximum telos of happiness for maximum amount
How was Peter singer?
Animals have signifiant moral status owes much tot he work of philopsher Peter simger
believes in equality between species
What analogy did Peter use with a disabled baby and a dog in a. fire?
if the baby was disabled or if it was just a baby its not self aware and n sense of itself as an individual living through time. less interest in staying alive, less posiblites in expering pleasure in living so save the dog. The abby is a non-human person’
why should animal aid happen?
Share 95% of our genes with a mouse, animals suffer from similar conditions
ethics communities to ensure that the potential benefits of research outweighs ant suffering too animas
without animal research wold still be claiming lives each year from polio
What did Colin Blakemore say?
“primates are used anywhere no other species ad no alternative can provide the answers of questions about conditions like Alzheimers”
Why did mil say animals are lower than us?
animals didn’t have the capably of higher pleasures so not having equal value of utilitarian system but can feel pain and pleasure so should be protected
What is the difference between mils and bantams for animals?
Bentham did take animals into account
What is the campaign of nuclear disarmament?
Only pain and suffering, no pleasure in war. Cant address terriosim
British- outweighs the cost of an attack onuk
maintain minim amount of destructive power
What did Karl popper suggest?
negative uilitarinsm rat aimed to reduce pain
What is a precedent?
if your act has good consequences but will set a precedent leading to bad things in the future do not do that
What are the strengths of utiilitarinams?
happiness is an intrinsic value
harming people is wrong
creates good
improvements over time
quality- mill concerned about quality
intention- sidgwick answered Kant that the consequences of an action cant Make it right, intentions woukd
pregerences-singer said people have different happines
secular- doesn’t rely on beliefs about god
easy to use
demorcratic- fair to run a country
what are the weaknesses of utilitariaism?
others goods- love mejcamical- doest account for life the ends don't justify the means unpreidictable immeasurable incalculable people cant be trusted- if you got rid of rules, act selfisjly istoce wrong- if police officers passed around an abused photos of a woman for enjoyment, if exposed it would be bad. but if not doing out would it have been right. the consequences werent bad it was the act
What type of theory is mils
Teological and deontological
