Lecure 4: Does utilitarianism undermine Moral integrity?

Question 1

problem of moral motivation?

Answer 1

The justification of the principle of utility leaves open the question of what motivation we have to act accordingly
What does Mill have to say on the problem of moral motivation?

Question 2

What are external sanctions?

Answer 2

External sanctions involve our feelings, but the source of motivation is not in ourselves

Question 3

Internal sanctions?

Answer 3

With internal sanctions, the source of moral motivation is in ourselves; our conscience

Question 4

Internalism about moral reasons:

Answer 4

Knowledge or acceptance of the truth of the judgement that an action is morally right implies that one also has a motivating reason to perform the action

Question 5

externalism about moral reasons

Answer 5

knowledge or acceptance of truth of a moral judgement does not imply that one has a motivating reason to act accordingly

Question 6

Mill is an externalist about moral reasons

Answer 6

Moral education is necessary to develop moral motivation
against intuitionists, Mill maintains that “the moral feelings are not innate but acquired”
Sanctions help us develop these feelings

Question 7

According to Mill, what does Utilitarianism require?

Answer 7

Impartiality

Question 8

What terms can the impartiality requirement be explicated?

Answer 8

agent neutrality

Question 9

Agent-neutral reasons?

Answer 9

agent neutral reasons are reasons for anyone

Question 10

agent-relative reasons?

Answer 10

Agent-relative reasons are reasons for particular agents

• reasons that relate to your personal projects (climbing killimanjaro)
• reasons that relate to your actions (do not steal)
• Reasons that relate to your relationships to others ( saving your child vs saving a strangers child)

Question 11

What is Mill’s utilitarianism committed to?

Answer 11

Mills Utilitarianism is committed to the claim that moral reasons are agent neutral
-An action is morally right if it maximises overall happiness
anyone has moral reasons to maximise overall happiness

Question 12

The integrity objection

Answer 12

does the commitment to impartiality/agent- neutrality undermine moral intergrity?

Question 13

Bernard williams two cases?

Answer 13

Jim and the indians

George the Ph.D and the job

Question 14

What would the recommendations of act utilitarianism be in the two Bernard Williams cases?

Answer 14

Jim should kill one person

George should take the job

Question 15

What is Williams objection to utilitarianism

Answer 15

main problem is not recommendation per se, but suggestion that these cases have an easy solution
Utilitarianism overlooks important moral considerations
Problem is caused by neglect of moral integrity

Question 16

What two claims does the integrity objection contain:

Answer 16

• Utilitarianism has wrong account of moral responsibility

- Utilitarianism wrongly neglects how the moral life depends on personal commitments

Question 17

Does utilitarianism endorse a wrong account of moral responsibility?

Answer 17

-Utilitarianism is committed to the doctrine of “negative responsibility” - I am just as responsible for what I bring about than for what I fail to prevent
- But there is a distinction between acts and omissions, between doing and allowing
We have a special moral responsibility for our actions

Question 18

Does Utilitarianism endorse a wrong account of moral responsibility? Mill’s Reponse

Answer 18

it is true that customary morality suggests that there is special responsibility that agents have for their actions
This doesn’t imply that this special responsibilities justified
Mill on moral character: “bet proof of a good character is good actions”.

Question 19

Does utilitarianism have wrong moral psychology?

Answer 19

It is a feature of happy life that we form commitments to special others and to our projects
Utilitarianism requires that we disregard reasons that stem from such commitments( agent-relative reasons)
This undermines (moral) integrity of agents.
It is also self-defeating as it undermines happiness