Utilitarianism Flashcards
What is Jeremy Bentham’s famous Utilitarianism quote
“What one ought to do is to maximise pleasure and minimise pain”
Define Hedonistic Psychology
The view that all human action is ultimately motivated by desires for pleasure and the avoidance of pain
What principle did Bentham create
Bentham created the principle known as the principle of utility
What does Bentham say Utilitarianism refers to
The principle states that humans try to maximise what we desire and minimise what we fear
What prison did Bentham famously design
‘Panopticon’
What is the ‘Panopticon’
Where prisoners would be visible to the authorities at all times
What did the ‘Panopticon’ encourage prisoners to do
It encouraged prisoners to naturally do what they ought to do.
Why did Bentham create the ‘Panopticon’
Bentham did this in order to promote the greatest good for the greatest number, in order to avoid pain
What calculation did Bentham create
The “Felicific Calculus”
Why did Bentham create The “Felicific Calculus”
To aid the calculation of the exact quantity of pain and pleasure that would result from a given action
Which Utilitarian philosopher criticised Bentham’s theory of pleasure
John Stuart Mill
Define Principle of Utility
By the principle of utility is meant that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever
Define Utilitarianism
The doctrine that actions are right if they are useful or for the benefit of a majority
Define Panopticon
A circular prison with cells arranged around a central well, from which prisoners could at all times be observed
Define Felicific Calculus
A method of determining the rightness of an action by balancing the probable pleasures and pains that it would produce
What does Bentham’s Utilitarianism lack
Bentham’s utilitarianism lacks any notion of an individual’s rights
Which philosopher developed Bentham’s Utilitarianism
John Stuart Mill
Which philosopher was a Hedonist Utilitarian
Jeremy Bentham
What is the Hedonic Calculus made up of
Purity, Richness, Remoteness, Intensity, Certainty, Extent, Duration
Define Act Utilitarianism
The general principle of utilitarianism
What does Act Utilitarianism say about acts
The rightness or wrongness of an act is determined by the pleasure of the result
Which philosopher developed Act Utilitarianism
Bentham
What are Teleological Ethics
Teleological ethics determines a good act by the ends is brings about
What are the four limitations of Act Utilitarianism
It tends to create a black-and-white construct of morality
Utilitarianism cannot predict with certainty whether the consequences of our actions will be good or bad
Pleasure can be very subjective
Doesn’t take into account personal morals
