Repugnant

Question 1

Average Principle:

Answer 1

• if other things are equal is it better of people’s lives contain on average, more happiness

Question 2

Total Principle:

Answer 2

• if other things are equal it is better if there is a greater sit total of happiness

Question 3

TOWARDS THE REPUGNANT CONCLUSION?

Answer 3

• According to the Average Principle, quality of life is what ultimately matters.
• According to the Total Principle, once we’ve past a certain threshold, quantity of life is what ultimately matters
• in order to resist the repugnant conclusion we much reject the total principle

Question 4

Principle of utility

Answer 4

-It is better if there is a larger net sum of happiness.

Question 5

Principle of equality

Answer 5

• : It is better if there is less inequality between people.

Question 6

elitism

Answer 6

• the view that the loss to the better-off matters more than the greater gain to the equally numerous worse-off.

Question 7

PARFIT’S SOLUTION

Answer 7

• Rather, Parfit argues on perfectionist grounds that B is worse than A.

Question 8

STUART RACHELS’ SOLUTION

Answer 8

• Better than is a binary relation: it is a relation between two things.( identity, mother)
• Transitivity is a property of a relation. That is, if x = y, and y = z, then x = z.
• better than? if A is better than C then B is better than C then A is better than C
• but she argues that better than is like being the mother of rather than like identity

Question 9

Better than?

Answer 9

• an all thing considered relation
• converse of the worse than relation, that is A is better than B just in case B is worse than A
• the counter example appeal to the notion of pleasure and pain (mental states)
• a mental state is pleasurable just in case it is preferable to temporary unconsciousness
• a mental state is painful just in case temporary unconsciousness is preferable to that experience

Question 10

Counter Examples for the better than:

Answer 10

1. Ecstasy: each out come is better than the previous one , but there is a point where the next outcome is worse than the original one.
2. Migraine: There is a shift to the better by only changes for the worse, Each outcome is worse than the previous one, but there is a point where the next outcome is better than the original one.

Question 11

Rachel’s solution:

Answer 11

• Rachels’ solution to resisting the repugnant conclusion amounts to rejecting the transitivity of the better than relation.
• shifts to the worse by only changes for the better