Utilitarianism Flashcards
What is the problem that Utilitarianism looks to solve
The clash of two principles
What example can be given for the clash of two principles
If your friend is going on a date and asks you whether they look good and upon observing their outfit they look bad you are now stuck between two principles. Do you tell the truth and save them the embarrassment later on but provide immediate sadness or do you lie and tell them they look good in order to prevent immediate sadness but then further embarrassment will ensue. You are stuck between the principle of always telling the truth but the principle of being kind to everyone
How does utilitarianism solve the problem of a clash of principles
By sticking to one principle ‘the principle of utility’. Or the greatest balance of good over evil
Who is Jeremy Bentham
Considered the father of modern utilitarianism even though his version was flawed in that he snuck in a second principle
How did Bentham explain human nature
He believed human nature could be explained by the belief that we are psychological hedonists so that we always seek our own pleasure
Based of Bentham’s logic what is the good for humans
It would be to maximise pleasure and minimising pain
What did Bentham oppose
Slavery, death penalty, corporal punishments and mistreatment of animals
What did Bentham support
Equal rights, the right to divorce and decriminalisation of homosexual acts. The separation of Church and state. As a liberal he supported freedom of expression and economic freedom from regulation
What kind of theory is Utilitarianism
It is a strictly teleological theory in that it’s purpose is the moral good of persons although there is no agreement between utilitarianism what that good is
What is meant by utility
The principle of utility seeks to achieve the good to the greatest possible extent
Could you describe Utilitarianism as relativist
It would be wrong to describe it as relativist because utilitarianism in whatever form has two absolute requirements, to work to achieve the good and always to follow the principle of utility
What quote from Bentham sums up utilitarianism
In his Advice to a Young Girl ‘create all the happiness you are able to create: remove all the misery you are able to remove’
What did he write in his Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation
‘The principle of utility judges any action to be right by the tendency it appears to have’
What type of person was Bentham
Hedonist
What does it mean to be a Hedonist
To believe that happiness, and therefore the good, is pleasure. A hedonist is it saying pleasure is A good but rather it is THE good and nothing else is good. For them pleasure and good are interchangeable
What problem faces a hedonist
That it seems from their view that it is impossible to have a bad pleasure. However what about people that take pleasure in hurting others, this is surely a bad pleasure. But if pleasure and good are interchangeable you can’t describe something as a bad good as that is contradictory but you can describe it as a bad pleasure. So the two aren’t interchangeable
What is the Hedonic calculus
1) Intensity (how strong is the pleasure)
2) Duration (how long will the pleasure last)
3) Certainty (how likely is it that pleasure will truly happen)
4) Propinquity (how soon will the pleasure happen)
5) Fecundity (how probable is it that pleasant sensations will follow)
6) Purity (how unlikely is it that the action will lead to pain rather than pleasure)
7) Extent (how many people will be affected)
What is the problem with the Hedonic calculus + example
There are too many variables. If someone who loves chocolate decided that eating one chocolate would equal one point of pleasure then by this logic eating 200 chocolates would equal 200 points of pleasure which is not the case because even the biggest chocolate fanatic will start to feel sick after a while. Then we have consider whether eating a chocolate for breakfast hold the same level pleasure as eating it for a dessert
Is Hedonism essential to Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism need not be hedonist even though Bentham’s was because utilitarianism seeks the greatest balance of good over evil and the good may be something other than pleasure
What did Mill refer to the good as
As happiness
What is the problem for these different interpretations of what the good is
Surely the search for the good should be actually what good really is not what someone could interpret as preferable then something else or pleasure. The problem is the good is left open to interpretation which makes utilitarianism hazy
What does G.E. Moore say about the good
In his Principal Ethica he says ‘ideal utilitarianism is that which seeks always the greatest balance of the IDEALLY good’
What was the problem with how Bentham taught Utilitarianism
He taught it as the greatest good for the greatest number and this has interpreted to be the belief of utilitarianism as a whole
What is the problem with the ‘greatest good for the greatest number’ idea
It introduces an aspect of justice with the words ‘for the greatest number’ so now there are two principles. Not only should you do good but distribute the good in this way. This means we now have two principles which is what Utilitarianism sought to solve
Example of a problem leading from the ‘greatest good for the greatest number’ idea
Let’s say I have £100 which I could share among 10 friends however I decide to give it all to one without telling others this means this one friend now has 100 points of pleasure and the others have no idea so the net pleasure is 100 points. However I can achieve the same result by giving all ten friends £10 because I should distribute for the ‘greatest number’. But then why not give 100 people £1 because I shouldn’t prioritise my friends. Here we can see how the addition of a second principle causes problems which Utilitarianism sought to solve
For many what is the greatest difficulty with all forms of Utilitarianism
That there is a denial of any notion of natural rights because to assert natural rights would produce a second principle which could interfere with utility. To say that individual right to life is more important than the principle of utility would be denial of Utilitarianism
What does Bentham say on Natural rights
‘Natural rights is simple nonsense’ in Anarchical Fallacies
What does Stuart Mill add to Utilitarianism
He argues that in civilised societies people should have maximum personal Liberty (not applied to children or people in backwards nations). He is clear that he appeals to the greatest general good and accepts that maximum personal Liberty may permit one to harm themselves. One may harm themselves by drinking too much but for Mill this doesn’t justify stopping him though we can advise him to drink less because this interferes with his personal Liberty and according to him we would be worse off if we were to live in a state where people stopped from doing what they wanted
What type of Utilitarianism do we associate with Bentham
Act Utilitarianism
What is act Utilitarianism
The view that for each act we should determine which outcome leads to the greater general good on a case by case basis
What problem is there with Act Utilitarianism
That people often don’t have the time or information to make the necessary calculation and some not have the intellectual capacity even if the information were available. To say to a child ‘before you out your hand in that socket calculate whether that would lead to the greatest pleasure’ is absurd
What type of Utilitarianism did Mill follow
Rule Utilitarianism
What is Rule Utilitarianism
We should always follow the rule that will lead to the greatest balance of good over evil. In the example of the child the parent should simply tell the child not to stick their finger in the socket as this will lead to the greater balance of good over evil
What does Mill believe about his general principle of Liberty
That if always followed it will lead to the greatest general happiness even though some people will use their Liberty in a bad way he thinks the needs of the general good outweighs the individual issues of people abusing their Liberty.
What is the first issue with Rule Utilitarianism
It seems to place preservation of the rule above the individuals need, in Mill’s case he is reluctant to prevent an individual from suicide in order to not break the rule of maximising Liberty. This can be argued as instrumentalism. This begs the question whether people exists for the sake of preserving rules or whether we should be treated as ends rather than means
What is instrumentalism
The rule exists not for my good but rather my misused Liberty is an instrument as a means of preserving the rule
What is the biggest problem with Rule Utilitarianism
It introduces the one thing it sought to solve. If there are two rules then there is a possibility I’d a rule clash which would re introduce problems Utilitarianism sought to solve and that point one could even consider it no longer Utilitarianism
What is the most modern representation of Utilitarianism and by who
Peter Singer’s preference Utilitarianism - the position that we should use strictly rational utilitarianism and think through issues rationally with no appeal to emotion or sentimentality
What quote can be used to show Singer’s view
In his Preface to Animal Liberation ‘this book makes no sentimental appeals for sympathy toward ‘cute’ animals
What did Singer recognise
That it’s important to have a universal quality in order to weigh the needs and preferences of others as much as my own
What did Singer reject
He rejects classical hedonistic accounts arguing that the aim is no longer the maximisation of pleasure over pain but the general satisfaction of preferences
What does singer mean by general satisfaction of preferences
The idea that we may prefer outcomes in a rational way even though those outcomes do not directly lead to our own satisfaction for example I may prefer outcomes of altruism even though I am not personally satisfied as a result of my giving to others
What is significant to Singer’s approach
The altruist principle is very significant to Singer’s approach and he argues we should do what on balance furthers the preferences of those affected
What is central to Singer’s arguments
The minimisation of suffering
What is Singer an advocate of and why
Speciesism because it seems animals of the higher species seem to have no less capacity for suffering and should therefore be equally considered
Controversial example Singer uses in his Practical Ethics which he believes minimises suffering
The haemophilic infant: potentially fatal disease which means the blood cannot clot so the child is in constant danger of death. If the mother carries the gene there’s a 50% chance the male for stud gets it. Once the foetus is identified as male and the gene is also identified then abortion is given as an option. The disease can only be detected after birth. Singer argues you should kill the baby after birth because then there is only half the destruction because at least you are sure
Objection to Utilitarianism
Evil permitted can be needlessly great. Suppose I have two possible options, option 1 causes 500 points of good and no harm but option 2 causes 501 points of good but 1000 points of harm then I should choose option 2 because it is a greater balance then 500 because it’s the greater good
