Preference utilitarianism

Question 1

What is preference utilitarianism?

Answer 1

A form of utilitarianism that promotes actions that fulfil the interests (preferences) of those involved

Question 2

What does preference utilitarianism aim to avoid?

Answer 2

Leaving out the minorities

Question 3

Who are the 2 key preference utilitarians?

Answer 3

Richard Hare

Peter Singer

Question 4

What did Richard Hare argue?

Answer 4

That it is possible to make rules based upon preference utilitarianism because if you understood the preferences of a society then you could make rules that they would want to follow

Question 5

What did Peter Singer argue?

Answer 5

That the more something could feel pain and pleasure the more its interests counted. He was not speciesist, he didn’t believe in putting humans first.

Question 6

How was Peter Singer controversial?

Answer 6

He said that a monkey counts more than a disabled child as the monkey can feel pleasure and pain.

Question 7

How is preference utilitarianism impractical?

Answer 7

You can’t satisfy everyone’s interests