Utilitarianism Flashcards
What does Kant try to prove?
- The probability of Gods’ existence
- “Moral law within us”
What is Kant’s’ argument?
1) There is a universal agreement what is right/wrong
2) Shows awareness of objective moral Law
3) Argument is absolute and deontological ( right/wrongness based on actions not consequences)
How do you decide the right action according to Kant?
You must apply reason which will reveal the moral law and the categorical imperative
What is the categorical imperative?
An absolute sense of moral duty that directs humans to the right actions without any considerations of the outcome
What is the Summon bonum?
The state of supreme good where virtue and happiness come together
- What everyone’s working towards
- cant achieve if actions are based on consequences/ aren’t morally good
What is Kant’s 3 postulates for mortality?
1) Freedom = action only good if person is free to carry it out
2) Immortality= If virtue isn’t achieved and rewarded in this life it must be in the next
3) God = God must exist to provide summun bonum
What is the Good will?
Doing things for their own sake without any selfish intentions
What are the three maxims that formulate the Categorical Imperative?
1) A persons actions must be acceptable in all times and cultures
2) An action must never treat a person in a way of achieving something else
3) Act as if everyone has listened to the Categorical Imperative even if they haven’t
What are the three criticisms of Kant?
1) Abstract and can’t always be applied to modern situations
Alastair McIntyre = “You can use universality to justify anything”
2) Confused whether teleo/deontological as to make universal must look at the consequences but Kingdom of Ends = consequence history and nature are working towards
3)Was in favour of human freedom and automney but impossible if working towards the Categorical Imperative
What did Jeremey Bentham believe?
1st utilitarianism
Principle of Utility; Hedonist; The Hedonic Calculus
“Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sorveign masters, pain and pleasure”
What is the principle of Utility?
The greatest Good for the greatest number
What is a hedonist?
Primary concern was the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain
What is in the Hedonic Calculus and what it it?
- The way you can maximise pleasure and avoid pain
- intensity
- duration
- certainty
- propinquity
- fecundity
- purity
- extent
What are the strengths of Bentham?
- clear
- concise
- accessible
- democratic
What are the weaknesses of Bentham?
- Reduces emotions to animal instincts
- There are different type of pleasure
- minority ignored
- Justifies slavery e.t.c
- Ignores relationships
What kind of argument is Bentham’s’ utilitarianism?
Consequentialist ; Teleological
What did John Stuart Mill believe?
- developed Bentham’s’ ideas of utilitarianism
- “Higher pleasure are better than base pleasures”
- What is good for society is individual happiness
What are higher pleasures?
Only what humans can do and satisfies the mind i.e intellectual; aesthetic
What are base pleasures?
Please the body
what other animals can do
What’s the quote that Mill situates with base pleasures?
” It is better a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied”
What is Mills’ principle of Universibality?
If society lets individual flourish then the combined total will create the greatest good for the greatest number
- Society is only happy when all individuals are satisfied
What is act utilitarianism ( Bentham)?
Driven by the balance of good and evil in each individual situation
What is rule utilitarianism ( Mill)?
Establishes rules on the calculation of utility
What is preference utilitarianism and who is it associated too?
- Peter Singer
negative Utilitarianism=minimise suffering rather than maximise pleasure - What is right/ wrong is based on what people prefer
- A balance= compromises= so all groups in society are somewhat happy
In preference Utilitarianism what is the greatest evil?
Not accepting the preferences of other species that have the ability to have preferences
What is Harsanyi’s manifest and true preference’s?
Manifest= what you prefer based on immediate desires/ needs True= based on reflecting on all info known and on the likely consequences
What are the three criticisms of preference utilitarianism?
1) Consumerist flavour = says nothing about what we should prefer
2) Preferences are not static = unstable and change
3) Absence of love and relationships as strangers preferences deemed more important
