(M) Part III L4: Utilitarianism Flashcards
Who proposed the basic form of utilitarianism?
Bentham
Who defended and improved the primary structure of utilitarianism?
John Mill
It is a consequentialist theory, a subclass of teleological moral theory
Utilitarianism
Major ethical system that holds that actions should be ethically evaluated by their consequences, not by the intentions
Consequentialist ethics
According to Bentham, there are two sovereign masters under which nature has placed mankind
Pleasure and Pain
A method to calculate the quantitative worth of pleasures?
Hedonic Calculus
An ethical system that identifies happiness with pleasure
Hedonistic
The principle that states that an action is right in so far as it tends to produce greatest of happiness for the greatest number
Principle of Utility
Ancient philosopher who explained that happiness does not mean only sensual pleasure
Epicurus
It serves as practical rules, giving knowledge about the tendencies of actions when no better information is available
Secondary rules
T or F. Utilitarianism is teleological?
T
T or F. Utilitarianism is compatible to Kantian ethics?
F
T or F. Utilitarianism does not allow for exception to the rule even if justified by the consequences.
F
T or F. Cheating is justified in utilitarianism if it will maximize pleasures and minimize pain
T
T or F. Utilitarianism states that the total number of outcomes should be considered before an act can be declared to be right or wrong
T
T or F. Higher pleasures mean intellectual, which includes artistic, political and spiritual pleasures
T
T or F. Utilitarianism determines the moral value of an act by nature of the act itself
F
T or F. The concepts pleasure and pain define the scope and limit of Bentham’s ethical system
T
T or F. Kant declared, it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied”
F (Mill)
T or F. Mill proposed that “happiness and unhappiness are the basic for good and evil”
T
What do you call the group of reformers headed by Bentham?
Philosophical radicals
T or F. Bentham and James Mill are considered the main proponents of moral theory called utilitarianism.
F (Bentham and John Mill)
This ethical system judges the rightness of an act in terms of an external goal or purpose.
Teleological
They hold that some actions are intrinsically wrong and must never be done no matter what the results are.
Absolutists
