Moral Philosphy

Question 1

Who developed utilitarianism ?

Answer 1

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart mill

Question 2

WHat is the basis of utilitarianism

Answer 2

The greatest happiness principle or GHP For short

Question 3

What is the GHP

Answer 3

It is the basis of utilitarianism and it is all about actions that promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. It is made up of 3 principles : consequences , equity and hedonism.

Question 4

What is the consequentialist principle ?

Answer 4

A principle of the GHP , it determines the moral rightness of an act by looking at the consequences the act will produce. By looking at the consequences we are able to differentiate between alternative courses of actions and this can help us deal with moral dilemmas and how to act.

Question 5

Criticisms of the consequentialist principle ?

Answer 5

It is not easy to predict the consequences of an action and there is also a wide range of consequences that could occur. For example you could predict that you are helping someone where as you end up doing something disastrous.

Also consequences are based on past experiences which impacts the reliability of the predicted consequences. Just because something happened a certain way once does not guarantee it will happen the exact same way again.

Question 6

What is the hedonistic principle ?

Answer 6

It is a principle of the GHP which is the view that happiness is the only thing worth valuing. Jeremy Bentham devised the hedonic calculus to try and quantify pleasure and compare them against one and other. It has seven criterial : intensity, duration,purity , fecundity,propinquity, certainty, extent. The way it works is that any pleasure is scored on a scale of 1-5 on the different criteria to evaluate it.

Question 7

Criticisms of the hedonic calculus ?

Answer 7

It is very subjective as it is down to a person to decide on how to rate each pleasure to people may get different results from evaluating the same pleasure on the HC.

It is very difficult to quantify happiness and measure it.

it is quite complicated as it contains seven criteria and may take time to decide if an action is morally right when you may need to decide quickly.

It shows no distinction between pleasures so a bad pleasure may score a high mark even though it may be described as a vice for example smoking.

Question 8

What is the equity principle ?

Answer 8

This is the view that everyone’s happiness is of equal value. When combined with the other 2 principles is avoids only pursuing your self interests.

Bentham and mill believed it was also important to achieve the greatest aggregate happiness which can be achieved in a number of ways . For example they believed it would be better to give 100 people £10,000 than a million people £1.

Question 9

Criticisms of equity principle ?

Answer 9

A problem arises and this can be the tyranny of the majority. This occurs when you always try to create aggregate happiness and you run the risk of marginalising groups. For example you could support the mistreatment of a small population or group in the minority if it makes the majority happy . A well known example of this is slavery.
It is important to note that following utilitarianism will not always guarantee your own happiness. You might perform actions as you feel obliged too , even though they may not benefit you as a person.

Question 10

Is utilitarianism a teleological theory or deontology theory and what does that mean ?

Answer 10

A teleological theory , this means that the moral rightness of an act is determined by the consequences that the act produces.

Question 11

What does intensity mean ?

Answer 11

how strong the pleasure will be

Question 12

Propinquity

Answer 12

How soon the pleasure will occur

Question 13

Duration

Answer 13

How long the pleasure will last

Question 14

Fecundity

Answer 14

Will the pleasure enrich your life or will it result in more acts that bring pleasure

Question 15

Certainty

Answer 15

How likely is it the pleasure will occur

Question 16

Extent

Answer 16

How many people will it affect

Question 17

Purity

Answer 17

Will the pleasure involve any pain

Question 18

What is the strengths of utilitarianism

Answer 18

It provides many people with an answer in how to act in certain situations.

It also feels instinctively good to take the 3 principles equity , consequences and hedonism into consideration when making moral decisions.

Question 19

What is an act utilitarian ?

Answer 19

It is a branch of utilitarianism. Act utilitarians assess each individual situation by examining all the possible outcomes of each possible course of action.

Question 20

What is a rule utilitarian?

Answer 20

It’s also a branch of utilitarianism. Rule utilitarians believe we should not examine individual situations instead we should act on general rules of behaviour that if they were universalized and everyone followed them they would lead to maximum happiness and good overall consequences.

Question 21

What is mills higher and lower pleasures ?

Answer 21

John Stuart mill believed that higher pleasures included opera and poetry were superior or more important than Lower pleasures such as drinking and eating. He believed people who experienced higher pleasures were described as competent judges and they would always pick higher pleasures over lower pleasures. He believed people who picked lower pleasures were impulsive and animal like.

Question 22

Problems with higher and lower pleasure view from John Stuart mill ?

Answer 22

Raises the question why are higher pleasures more important than lower pleasures ? Sometimes people pick lower pleasures over higher pleasures as they are easier , quicker or more enjoyable.

Question 23

Does utilitarianism take into consideration the special obligations to say our families ?

Answer 23

A problem arises with equity , this is because It doesn’t take into consideration the preferential treatment we would show towards our family as human beings.

Question 24

What is a preference utilitarian?

Answer 24

Is when people act based on what would generate them preference satisfaction , to do this they act on what they want instead of what would generate the most happiness.

Question 25

Strengths and weaknesses of preference utilitarianism?

Answer 25

It is easier for people to know what they want rather than what would make them happiest

However it could lead to justifying terrible acts such as child torture

Question 26

Who invented Kantian ethics

Answer 26

Immanuel Kant

Question 27

Is Kantian ethics a teleological Theory or deontology theory and why ?

Answer 27

Deontology as the consequences of an action is not taken into consideration when deciding the moral worth of a theory. Instead the motives or intentions are taken into consideration.

Question 28

What is the sovereignty of reasoning?

Answer 28

It is all about a priori truth , this is something Kant believes we all have knowledge in as it is rooted within everyone. The sovereignty of reasoning logic believes in logic and consistency and no exceptions are allowed. For example killing someone is always wrong even if someone is terminally ill or in pain because you need to be consistent and never kill.

Question 29

If the goodness in an act doesn’t come from the consequences it produces then where does the goodness come from ?

Answer 29

The good will of an act as this is the only intrinsically good thing in the world. It ensures that the person had good intentions and it can result in someone being praised even if their actions went horribly wrong.

Question 30

What is a duty

Answer 30

This is how you ensure your motive or will is good. It is when you complete an action as you believe it is the right thing to do and not for any other reason.

Question 31

What do duties help avoid ?

Answer 31

Self interest , consequences and inclination

Question 32

What are maxims ?

Answer 32

These are general rules of behaviour that can be applied to situations to help us decide how to act

Question 33

What is a hypothetical imperative ?

Answer 33

A rule of behaviour that you can take and leave

Question 34

What is a categorical imperative ?

Answer 34

A command that is binding regardless of our personal interests or goals. It is also a test for maxims.

Question 35

What’s the 3 major formulations of the categorical imperative to test maxims ?

Answer 35

Universal law formulation
End in itself formulation
The kingdom of ends

Question 36

What is the universal law formulation ?

Answer 36

It is a test for maxims. Its aim is that the maxim can be followed by everyone all the time. If this occurred would everyone be happy and it would be a fair world.

Question 37

What is the end in itself formulation

Answer 37

This is a test of maxims it believes that we should never use people in the way we would use objects to meet our own ends. This is because it undermines people as rational beings.

Question 38

Contradiction in conception?

Answer 38

This is how we know maxims can be unsed.This is when we try to formulate maxims that goes against the formulation of another , the two cannot logically exist at the same time . For example in a situation that you promise to pay back someone money even if you know you can’t afford to . Is following the maxim lie if it benefits you. This however contradicts the maxim of always tell the truth . This would result in the world being a place where you wouldn’t know if someone was lying.

Question 39

Contradiction in the will

Answer 39

This is when the formulation of a maxim goes against our rational processes as human beings and the golden rule , treat others as you would like be treated. For example the formulation of the maxim , no one should help others , is going against how you’d like to be treated. By maxing this maxim universal shows contradiction in the will as you would like help when you are old or ill.

Question 40

Strengths of Kantian ethics

Answer 40

It allows us to make decisions for that are not based upon predicted consequences which is seen as being unreliable

Kantian ethics is a system of rules , this works as rules are easy to follow. Also it is better to act on rules than compassions and love as this can sometimes lead to people complicating a decision.

Question 41

Weaknesses of Kantianism.

Answer 41

Why is the only motivating factor duties , shouldn’t there be more such as bravery , compassion or love

Kantian ethics is said to not look at the consequences of an act but aren’t you looking at the consequences of an action being universalised.

Kant doesn’t tell us how to act when 2 duties compete such as the enquiringly murderer

It also doesn’t tell us precisely what to do in situations and lacks content

There’s also the problem of misguided perceptions of duties. For example anti Semitic laws against Jews being carried out by nazis as they believed it was their personal duty

Question 42

only motivating factor duties?

Answer 42

A criticism of kantianism is that duties shouldn’t be the only motivating factor. Surely compassion and love should be taken into consideration as these are “good” motives as well. For example , if a person gave money to charity , they are acting out of compassion not duty. Many would agree that this is as praiseworthy as acting out of duty. Therefore a criticism of Kantian ethics is that there should be more than one motivating factor.

Question 43

Consequences ?

Answer 43

Another criticism of Kantian ethics is that Kant contradicts himself. He believes that the consequences should not be taken into consideration as this is a deontological theory. However , surely Kant looks at the consequences when using the Universal Law Formulation . This looks at the effect a maxim will have on the world if everyone followed it. Therefore I believe Immanuel Kant contradicts himself as his beliefs is that consequences aren’t taken. into consideration . However the Universal law formulation looks at the consequences.

Question 44

Maxims ?

Answer 44

A further criticism of kantian ethics is the formulation of maxims. This is because Immanuel Kant never clearly states what makes a maxim bad . he has the categorical imperative to decide if a maxim is good but he never clearly states what makes a maxim bad. Therefore a flaw in kantian ethics is that Immanuel Kant never clearly states what makes a maxim bad.

Question 45

competing duties ?

Answer 45

Kantian ethics contains a flaw as there is no guidance p what to do if duties compete. For example if a murderedr asks where someone lives you would struggle on how to reply as Kant doesn’t give advise you. The maxims never lie and put someone in danger are conflicting. Therefore a criticism of kantian ethics is that Kant never fully advises us what to do.

Question 46

misguided perception of duty.

Answer 46

Kantian ethics has a flaw as it could lead to duties being misguided. It is not acceptable for someone to merely act out of duty as this could lead to unacceptable acts being committed. For example a Nazi could make it their personal duty to impose anti - semitic laws.