utilitarianism

Question 1

what is utility?

Answer 1

seeking the greatest balance of good over evil, or pleasure over pain

Question 2

what type of theory is U?

Answer 2

teleological and consequentialist?

Question 3

what is act utilitarianism?

Answer 3

calculating the consequences of each situation on its own merits

Question 4

who is the founder of act utilitarianism?

Answer 4

BENTHAM

Question 5

HOW DID BENTHAM DEFINE SOCIETY?

Answer 5

“COLLECTION OF NDIVIDUALS”

Question 6

quote for each individuals right to happiness?

Answer 6

“everyone to count for one, and no one to count for more than one”

Question 7

for Bentham when is an action right? 1

Answer 7

greatest good for greatest number

Question 8

what is the principle of utility?

Answer 8

‘usefulness’ the rightness or wrongness of a situation is determined by its utility

Question 9

what is the greatest happiness principle?

Answer 9

greatest happiness for the greatest number’

Question 10

Bentham’s theory is one of the universal ethical what?

Answer 10

hedonisms- if an action brings about pleasure then it is right

Question 11

for Bentham what is our moral duty?

Answer 11

creating as many pleasures and avoiding as many pains as possible

Question 12

is the theory quantitative or qualitative?

Answer 12

quantitative

Question 13

what is the hedonic calculus?

Answer 13

calculating the benefit or harm of an act through its consequences

Question 14

why did Bentham devise the hedonic calculus?

Answer 14

he wanted to be able to prove empirically the rightness of wrongness of actions

Question 15

happiness can be measured in terms of (PREDICT)

Answer 15

• PURITY- how free from pain
• REMOTENESS- how closely can it be felt
• EXTENT- how widespread results will be
• DURATION- how long lasting
• INTENSITY- how weak or strong of a pleasure
• CERTAINTY-how likely for any future action
• TO BE FOLLOWED- will it lead to other pleasures?

Question 16

what is the rule of thumb?

Answer 16

if a decison greatly resembles a previous decision, you can use it as a rule of thumb to avoid doing the hedonic calculus again

Question 17

what did he say about precedence?

Answer 17

if an act has good consequences but will set a precedent leading to bad things in the future, do not do that

Question 18

what is rule utilitarianism?

Answer 18

following accepted laws that lead to the greatest overall balance of good over evil, or pleasure over pain

Question 19

whos theory is rule U?

Answer 19

MILL

Question 20

what did mill say on act UT?

Answer 20

he accepted the theory however believed it had flaws that needed to be resolved. a persons pain could be completely ignored if if there was a great pleasure for the majority

Question 21

what are higher and lower pleasures?

Answer 21

higher (pleasures of the mind)

lower (pleasure’s of the body)

Question 22

quote linking satisfaction?

Answer 22

better to be a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied”

Question 23

what happens when you focus on the qualities of pleasures?

Answer 23

deals with the injustices that could occur if you focus only on quanitity

Question 24

instead of focusing on pains/pleaures what should we think about?

Answer 24

long term affects on society

Question 25

for mill how could we maximise pleaures?

Answer 25

following rules

Question 26

what is universability?

Answer 26

what is good or bad for one is good or bad for all

Question 27

why did mill think we need rules for society?

Answer 27

social order

Question 28

what is Mills harm principle?

Answer 28

pressure which a majority can impose on a minority, this should be limited to the prevention of harm to others

Question 29

how is happiness measured?

Answer 29

QUALIATIVLY

Question 30

what is Bernard Williams “integrity objection”?

Answer 30

we cannot live by the theory and remain human (act). we act against our moral instincts. utilitarians cannot live by integrity. negative responsibitly is an integral part of utilitarianism. whether Jim acts or not he is held responsible. acts like a machine to increase overall happiness Jims humanity is destroyed.