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
Which philosopher differentiated between higher and lower pleasures
John Stuart Mill
Which philosopher said “It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied”
John Stuart Mill
What does John Stuart Mill refer to in relation to pleasures
Lower beings cannot experience pleasures such as: reading, music and relationships. It is much better to experience these higher pleasures than to endure basic pleasures such as food and sex.
What are the two ways to measure pleasure
Quality vs Quantity
What does Quality and Quantity refer to
Quantity refers to the amount of pleasure received, whereas quality refers to the value of pleasure
Which philosopher believes the quality of pleasure is far more important than the quantity of pleasure
John Stuart Mill
What does John Stuart Mill’s theory say about pleasure
By using this theory, you can measure pleasure, by determining if it’s a higher or basic pleasure
What does Hedonism say about pain & pleasure
Hedonism claims that pain and pleasure motivates human beings
How does the Hedonic Calculus measure pleasure
By evaluating the pleasure’s purity, richness, remoteness, intensity, certainty, extent and duration
Who is the main Rule Utilitarianism philosopher
John Stuart Mill
What does Rule Utilitarianism say about rules
General rules that everyone should follow to bring about the greatest good for the community
Rule takes priority over immediate situation
What are the two main problems with Rule Utilitarianism
You cannot break the rules, no matter the circumstance
Penalises the minorities within people
What is Anarchism
Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is sceptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions they claim maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not necessarily limited to, the state and capitalism
