Midterm Exam Study

Question 1

What does consequentialism say?

C

Answer 1

The right action to do is the action that leads to the best consequences.
An action is good to the extent it has good consequences and bad to the extent it has bad consequences. (Spectrum of how good an action is)

Question 2

According to consequentialism, something is morally right/wrong based on ___ and not on ___.
C

Answer 2

Based on the outcome/consequences.

Not on the intentions.

Question 3

Two types of consequentialism discussed in class:

C

Answer 3

1. Utilitarianism

2. Value Pluralism

Question 4

Why does consequentialism require a theory of value?

C

Answer 4

We need a theory of value to define what is good and what is bad.

Question 5

Utilitarianism = Consequentialism + ___ + ___ + ___

U

Answer 5

Hedonistic theory of value
Sum-ranking welfarism
Impartiality

Question 6

Explain: Hedonistic theory of value

U

Answer 6

Pleasure is intrinsically good, pain is intrinsically bad, and nothing else is intrinsically good/bad

Question 7

Explain: Sum-ranking welfarism

U

Answer 7

The action with the highest sum of pleasure is the better action. The distribution of pleasure or the amount of pleasure per person does not matter, instead, only the total amount of pleasure altogether matters.

Question 8

Explain: Impartiality

U

Answer 8

Everyone’s pain and pleasure counts equally

Question 9

What does John Stuart Mill say is intrinsically good and its opposite is intrinsically bad?
U

Answer 9

Human well-being

Question 10

What idea did Jeremy Bentham come up with for utilitarianism?
U

Answer 10

Pleasure and pain can be measured on a scale in two ways: intensity and extent.

Intensity = how pleasurable/painful something is
Extent = how much pleasure or pain there is

Ex: 1000 stubbed toes is equivalent in pain with 1 arm cut off

Question 11

What idea did Mill come up with for utilitarianism?

U

Answer 11

Some pleasures/pains are more important than others. There are higher pleasures/pains and lower pleasures/pains. Higher > lower.

Higher pleasures/pains = those that are mental in nature; involve the mind
Lower pleasures/pains = those that are physical

Ex: higher pleasure - reading a book | higher pain - breaking up with someone | lower pleasure - ??? | lower pain - scraping your knee

Question 12

Who believed that there are higher and lower pleasures/pains and that higher pleasures/pains have higher precedence than lower pleasures/pains?
U

Answer 12

John Stuart Mill

Question 13

Who believed that pleasure and pain can be measured on a scale in two ways? What are the two ways?
U

Answer 13

Jeremy Bentham

Intensity and extent

Question 14

Who believed that all pleasures and pains are equal and that some pleasures/pains are not more important than others?
U

Answer 14

Jeremy Bentham

Question 15

Give an argument against utilitarianism.

U

Answer 15

Pleasure and pain are not the only things intrinsically good or bad. Equality is also intrinsically good. So, sum-ranking welfarism is wrong because in the Tommy cookie-lover scenario it is better to give the cookies to all children instead of just Tommy. Therefore, sum-ranking welfarism is false and utilitarianism is false.

In the case of the sadist, the sadist receives more pleasure from torturing other people than the amount of pain those people receive, but it is wrong to inflict pain on others. It is morally wrong to experience pleasure at someone else’s expense. Thus, utilitarianism is wrong.

Question 16

Explain: Act Utilitarianism

U

Answer 16

Do that single action (one-off event) which will have the best consequences.

Ex: If recycling one bottle leads to a very small benefit to the environment and a very large hassle to you, then don’t recycle because this single action does not lead to the “best” consequence.

Question 17

Explain: Rule Utilitarianism

U

Answer 17

Do that action, which if everybody followed it, their following it would have the best consequences.

Ex: If recycling one bottle leads to a very small benefit to the environment and a very large hassle to you, then recycle anyway because if everyone did this action it would lead to the best consequences.

Question 18

Explain: Free Rider Problem
Which type of utilitarianism does this go with?
U

Answer 18

The mindset that others will do that action, so I don’t have to do it because it won’t make much of a difference in the world.

Ex: Voting in an election, stopping for a pedestrian

Act utilitarianism

Question 19

Explain: Rule Worship
Which type of utilitarianism does this go with?
U

Answer 19

The idea where you think about an imaginary ideal world and follow certain rules that will benefit this imaginary world.

Ex: Recycling one bottle, wasting less water, giving compliments

Rule utilitarianism

Question 20

What idea did Derek Parfit come up with?

U

Answer 20

The Non-Identity Problem. This problem explains that whatever action you do you are not necessarily “harming” the future generations because what you do decides who exists in the future.

Ex: Marrying one person vs another will lead to different children, Living in one country vs another will lead to different relationships you have