Utilitarianism Flashcards

1
Q

Consequences and happiness as base of morality

A

Utilitarianism

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2
Q

Stated that happiness is a balance of pleasure over pain

A

Jeremy Bentham

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3
Q

Where and when was Jeremy Bentham born

A

Houndsditch, London, England
1748

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4
Q

What age did Jeremy Bentham started studying at Westminster school, and has already learned Latin and Greek

A

4

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5
Q

What age did Bentham fo to college

A

12

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6
Q

Utilitarianism asserts that the morality of action is determined by what

A

Calculating amount of happiness it produces

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7
Q

What ought a person do based on utilitarianism

A

Ought to act so as to produce the best consequences possible

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8
Q

How is the greater happiness achieved

A

Reducing amount of pain and suffering

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9
Q

How are actions right or wrong in utilitarianism

A

Right = happiness
Wrong = pain

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10
Q

What did Bentham claim regarding what the legislators should look first

A

Happiness of the individual

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11
Q

What is the object of all legislation according to Utilitarianism

A

Greatest happiness of the greatest number

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12
Q

States that actions are right if they produce happiness, and wrong if they produce its opposite: pain or unhappiness

A

Principle of Utility

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13
Q

What are the two sovereign motives that govern mankind according to Bentham

A
  • pain
  • pleasure
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14
Q

What was deduced from the principle of utility regarding punishment

A

Ought only to be used “so far as it promises to exclude some greater evil”

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15
Q

Meant property in any object, whereby it tends to produce benefit, advantage, pleasure, good, or happiness, to prevent the happening of mischief, pain, evil, or unhappiness

A

Utility

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16
Q

What criterion is happiness for, according to Bentham

A

Ultimate criterion of morality

17
Q
  • founder of Epicureanism
  • believes that the good life consists in the life of pleasure, a life free from any form of physical and bodily pain
18
Q

Epicurus is the founder of __

A

Epicureanism

19
Q

Claims that happiness or what he calls, eudaimonia is the ultimate end of our actions

20
Q

What does Aristotle call happiness

A

Eudaimonia

21
Q

Believes that when we act, we do so sith the hope that it will make us happy

22
Q

The ancient philosophers and Bentham regard happiness as what

A

Intrinsic human desire

23
Q

When do we allow to experience pain according to Utilitarianism

A

With hope thay they will produce greater happiness

24
Q

Used to evaluate how much pleasure or pain would be caused by an action

A

hedonistic calculus

25
Hedonistic Calculus
1. Intensity 2. Duration 3. Certainty or uncertainty 4. Propinquity 5. Fecundity 6. Purity 7. Extent
26
- Some actions bring more intense pleasure than others - the more intense the action, the better it is
Intensity
27
- Some happiness are fleeting while some are longer lasting - the longer the happiness lasts, the better it is
Duration
28
- we wouldn't rather choose the action that will certainly make us happy - the certain we are that an action is likely to produce happiness, the better it is
Certainty or uncertainty
29
- if number of people who will become happy is greater than the people who will become unhappy, then the action is good
Extent
30
- How immediate is the sensation - closeness
Propinquity
31
Likelihood that the pleasure or pain will be followed by more pleasures or pains
Fecundity
32
Pleasure that is mixed with pain is not as good as one that just pleasure
Purity
33
Puts emphasis on calculating the result of each possible action in a particular situation
Classic act-utilitarianism
34
Based on ___, one makes a judgement based on the possible results of particular actions, which differ according to the set of circumstances that surround it
Act-utilitarianism
35
First objection of utilitarianism
- It would require us to sacrifice our own happiness for the sake of the happiness of the greater number of people - if everyone sacrificef her own happiness, it would lead to greater unhappiness
36
Second objection of utilitarianism
Fails to condemn perverse pleasures
37
Perverse pleasures
Intrinsically wrong and morally objectionable
38
Third objection of utilitarianism
- "the end justifies the means" principle - an intrinsically wrong may be morally justified and right
39
Fourth objection of utilitarianism
- Violation of human rights - as long as the "end" produces greater benefits