Theme 4: Utilitarianism Flashcards
What is Act Utilitarianism?
- working out how useful an action is based upon assessing the end result
- “greatest happiness for the greatest number of people”
- Util means to avoid pain
- David Hume (1711-1776) first introduced concept of utility but not utilitarian
- Francis Hutcheson (1694-1746) created the the quote but he isn’t a utilitarianist
What is Jeremy Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism?
- found many reforms for the treatment of criminals
- believed humans were motivated by the pursuit of pleasure/good and advancement of pain/evil (Hedonist)
- moral dilemma as you should always act in a way that brings max happiness to the those around you
~ dilemma for that of sovereign good which is that an action should be performed morally to gain telos - “happiness is a pretty hard thing to feel but very dry to talk about” - Bentham
Is utilitarianism like moral relativism?
Shows moral judgment, no universal moral norms or rules and that each situation has to be looked at independently as each situation is different
Is utilitarianism like consequential theory?
People should make moral judgment based on the outcome or consequence of an action
Is utilitarianism like teleological theory?
having a large number of people who are happy is the initial end goal
What is the main principle of utilitarianism?
- basis of morality, eg: would be the surgeon and a beggar, who would you save?
- moral cause of action is through specific focus on quantitative pleasure, principle can be fulfilled when creating rules based on past experience rather than judging each action individually - eg: do not murder
- “the quantity of pleasure being equal, push pin is as good as poetry” Bentham
What is Bentham’s Hedonic Calculus? (I Don’t Really Consider Every Rule)
Important to reduce pain first then look at pleasure to look at quantity over quality
Purity = least amount of pain involved the better
Intensity = stronger the better, instant happiness
Duration = longer lasting the better, more happiness
Remoteness = nearer the pleasure the better
Certainty = “all things being equal, we should go for the more certain than less certain pleasures”
Extent = more people experiencing the better as it enhances the impact of happiness
Richness = chance for pleasure will be repeated or result in future pleasure
Peter Vardy’s Examples for Hedonic Calculus
- “doctor driving to help deliver a baby, but crash on the road the husband and an old man, who do you help?
- “treating a smoker for lung cancer or helping several old people with hip displacements”
What are the Strengths of Uilitarianism?
- realistic theory allowing humans to adapt a flexible approach
- considering intended outcome and consequences
- allowing GHGNOP, discourages selfish behaviour
What are the Weakness of Uilitarianism?
- lack of moral absolute will lead to chaos
- minority could suffer
- ignore important factors and focus on happiness
What is Rule Utilitarianism?
- John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was a disciple and friend of Bentham, both agreeing the well-being of individual is important
- theory condones actions that bring majority happiness but morally unacceptable such as bullying (hedonic calculus justifies)
- pleasure is not just gratification but the idea of well being
- “over himself over his own body and mind the individual is sovereign”
- hybrid theory (Deon and teleo)
The theory of rule utilitarianism?
- “no one’s person pleasure is greater than another’s”
- every action doesn’t need to assessed actions are right if they conforms to a historical rule
- Mill said humans have learned murder and theft don’t increase happiness
- we should not assume all lessons from history are correct - must be willing to challenge traditions
- a single act brining more pleasure than pain
- rules are general to be applied where possible but only to serve purpose of final outcome
- mill was a hedonist believing pleasures is the sole intrinsic good and it is the promotion of pleasure prevention of pain
What are higher and lower pressures?
- high = superior (pleasure of the mind)
- low = inferior (pleasure of the body)
- Mill though people should peruse higher pleasures to read and be creative
- lower pleasures are inferior and are food or sex
- have to experience lower pleasures to gain higher ones
What is the pig philosophy?
- Leads to people to act like swines only concerned about lower pleasures
- hedonic calculus argues bodily pleasures are more important than that of reading
- distinguish quality from quantity (humans have ability to peruse higher pleasures)
“ it is better to be a human disaster than a pig satisfied better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a full satisfied”
What is the Harm Principle?
Society should be guided by one simple principle as a society with too many laws is dangerous and the only basis of society to act against an individual will is to prevent them from harming others
What is the Universality?
Mills Way of showing what is right and wrong for one person is the same for all as happiness is desirable and we all deserve it, happiness should be the desirable end, everyone ought aim for happiness/eudaemonia
What is the duty/rule for society in rule utilitarianism?
Put interest of people before your own as it’s your duty to society to protect the happiness of everyone “the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised only any member of a civilised community against as well to prevent harm of others”
What is the strong rule?
- Only raw formulated and established through the application of the principle of utility not to be broken to guarantee happiness for all
- rules are established and should not be broken to tell the truth and to be honest even if the truth is hard
- Mel Thompson claims Mill was ruled till because people should follow rules developed on the basis of utilitarian principle as it benefits society
- eg: withhold bad news from someone who is ill
What is the weak rule?
- allow the fact in extreme cases the role created using principle of utility needs to be broken in order to achieve the greatest happiness for the greatest number
- rule should sometimes be broken if it’s the only way to achieve happiness
- Vardy and Grosch describe melon is act as they seek to define what is ethically writing in terms of consequence of practical actions
- “there is no case of more obligation in which some secondary principle is not involved”
What are the problems with Mill’s form?
- Henry Sidgwick (1838-1900) making distractions between higher pleasures of all activities provide the same sum of pleasure than only one is valid if all higher pleasures equal reading for one hour would be the same as listening however that’s not the case
- “everybody to count for one and no one to count for more”
How can you apply utilitarianism to animal experimentation?
- Claudies Galen and William Harvey based medicine off animals similar to humans
- “ to discriminate against sole accounts of their species as a form of prejudice”
- animal aid of 1977 campaign against all animal abuse and protested with nonviolent means
- Bentham “the question is not can they reason nor can they talk but can they suffer”
- animal act of 1986 no animal testing allowed
- animal aid research showed drugs assessed on animals can cause many human deaths and medical history set back due to the use of animals
What does some Christians say about protecting animal rights?
- humans have a responsibility to care for all living things and human should live in harmony with animals as all life is sacred and everything has a purpose
- “a righteous man cares for the needs of his animals“
Why does some Christians disagree with animal rights?
- “everything that lives and moves will be your food”
- humans were made in the image of God while animals weren’t
- God created animals for use
- Jesus fed 5000 people with bread and fish
What are the benefits of animal test?
- contributing to many cures and treatment treatments
- we share 99% of our DNA with animals therefore biologically similar
- prevents human testing subjects
- animals protected from mistreatment the best they can be
Some scholars believe animals have rights
- “animals natural life as a gift from God”
- “animals have inherent value”
- “ in suffering animals equals”
What are the scholarly views that animals don’t have rights?
- “ensures the safety of drugs”
- “principle of justice only apply to human beings”
- only humans have reasons and morality
What’s the utility in animal testing?
- concerned with consequences of actions
- an action is justified if it benefits the greatest number
- right action gives most pleasure
- animals deserve happiness to protect happiness for all
What is the principle of utility in relation to animal testing?
use of animals can be accepted as only happiness and their exploitation causes as greater than that of their home and so much suffering to produce momentary pleasure not always guaranteed happiness
How does higher and lower pleasures relate to animal testing?
- less valid as animals can’t experience higher pleasures due to not being able to reason
- animals feel pleasure but aren’t capable of complex feelings
- Bentham was for animal rights based on ethical utilitarianism
- pleasure is good in itself and others bring about absence of pain
How does the Hedonic Calculus relate to animal testing?
- extent pleasures produced from animal testing have direct effect on 1000 people
- richness pleasurable and rich thousands of lives across the world and future
- certainty animals are certainly feel pain pleasure for humans is not certain as they’re testing to find a cure may be unsuccessful
How does the harm principle relate to animal testing?
Aimed at society in human society benefits would insist on application of rules to minimise suffering and society without rules won’t be happy
How does strong rule relate to animal testing?
Animal welfare act clause that address the standard chef animals to receive never be broken when conducting experiments
How does the week rule relate to animal testing?
Would not consider variance but work the underlying principles as advocated by the distinction between high and low
Why does Utility disagree with Nuclear Warfare?
- no pleasure in war and people should deter to put it off
- “since Auschwitz we know what a man is capable of“
- the campaign for nuclear discernment has long put forward arguments for nuclear discernment
What does deterrent of nuclear weapons mean?
- means convincing any potential aggression that the benefits of an attack of the outweigh of bites consequence supported by the harm principle
- “to abandon our deterrent now would be an active supreme irresponsibility”
Quotes about nuclear war fair
- “ in a nuclear war, there would be no victors only victims” Pope Benedict
- “ any acts of war aimed in discriminately at destruction of entire cities crime against God” second vacation council
- “such weapons cannot be used without harming noncombatants” Church of England
How does the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people relate to nuclear warfare?
- Utilitarianism is teleological so it will look at the consequence of going to war
- pacifist belief consequence of war is negative and justifies the mean
- strictly speaking it has right intention not supporting selfish motives
How does the principle of utilitarianism linked to nuclear warfare?
- promotes pleasure and avoid pain
- some spending money would be more useful for society but safety and protection is invaluable
- that could be great pain and suffering if we are not protected and yet the same could be said if no deterrent were presented
- “ it is possible for me to move the Earth yes but he must find out another earth to stand upon”
How does the hedonic calculus linked to nuclear warfare?
- cannot be easily applied as each case must be judged in terms of maximisation of welfare
- remoteness as happiness comes from a feeling of security which is closer than pain
- duration as possession of nuclear weapons as a deterrent is seen to have A contributed to long-term peace
- intensity as strength of pleasure comes from avoiding war in security
How do you higher and lower pleasures linked to nuclear warfare?
Cost and danger of a nuclear program has a destination effect on development of higher pleasures and Mills might say we should use any means available to create and protect society
How does the harm principle linked to nuclear warfare?
It outweighs any arguments against nuclear warfare as protection of society is crucial and any worries of attacking subside
How does the strong and weak rule relate to nuclear warfare?
Which rule state rules can be broken if it is for the greater good which helps generate a good society strong real estate people use nuclear weapons without just cause making the world a better place
How does the preference of utilitarianism linked to nuclear war?
Focuses on fulfilling people preferences having a just cause no reason to go to war and should think about everyone involved including the enemy and it’s people
