Utilitarianism

Question 1

What does Kant try to prove?

Answer 1

• The probability of Gods’ existence

- “Moral law within us”

Question 2

What is Kant’s’ argument?

Answer 2

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)

Question 3

How do you decide the right action according to Kant?

Answer 3

You must apply reason which will reveal the moral law and the categorical imperative

Question 4

What is the categorical imperative?

Answer 4

An absolute sense of moral duty that directs humans to the right actions without any considerations of the outcome

Question 5

What is the Summon bonum?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

What is Kant’s 3 postulates for mortality?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

What is the Good will?

Answer 7

Doing things for their own sake without any selfish intentions

Question 8

What are the three maxims that formulate the Categorical Imperative?

Answer 8

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

Question 9

What are the three criticisms of Kant?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What did Jeremey Bentham believe?

Answer 10

1st utilitarianism
Principle of Utility; Hedonist; The Hedonic Calculus
“Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sorveign masters, pain and pleasure”

Question 11

What is the principle of Utility?

Answer 11

The greatest Good for the greatest number

Question 12

What is a hedonist?

Answer 12

Primary concern was the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain

Question 13

What is in the Hedonic Calculus and what it it?

Answer 13

• The way you can maximise pleasure and avoid pain
• intensity
• duration
• certainty
• propinquity
• fecundity
• purity
• extent

Question 14

What are the strengths of Bentham?

Answer 14

• clear
• concise
• accessible
• democratic

Question 15

What are the weaknesses of Bentham?

Answer 15

• Reduces emotions to animal instincts
• There are different type of pleasure
• minority ignored
• Justifies slavery e.t.c
• Ignores relationships

Question 16

What kind of argument is Bentham’s’ utilitarianism?

Answer 16

Consequentialist ; Teleological

Question 17

What did John Stuart Mill believe?

Answer 17

• developed Bentham’s’ ideas of utilitarianism
• “Higher pleasure are better than base pleasures”
• What is good for society is individual happiness

Question 18

What are higher pleasures?

Answer 18

Only what humans can do and satisfies the mind i.e intellectual; aesthetic

Question 19

What are base pleasures?

Answer 19

Please the body

what other animals can do

Question 20

What’s the quote that Mill situates with base pleasures?

Answer 20

” It is better a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied”

Question 21

What is Mills’ principle of Universibality?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What is act utilitarianism ( Bentham)?

Answer 22

Driven by the balance of good and evil in each individual situation

Question 23

What is rule utilitarianism ( Mill)?

Answer 23

Establishes rules on the calculation of utility

Question 24

What is preference utilitarianism and who is it associated too?

Answer 24

• 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

Question 25

In preference Utilitarianism what is the greatest evil?

Answer 25

Not accepting the preferences of other species that have the ability to have preferences

Question 26

What is Harsanyi’s manifest and true preference’s?

Answer 26

Manifest= what you prefer based on immediate desires/ needs
True= based on reflecting on all info known and on the likely consequences

Question 27

What are the three criticisms of preference utilitarianism?

Answer 27

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