Utilitarianism

Question 1

Bentham

Answer 1

The sole intrinsic good is happiness which Bentham understood to be pleasure
All human action should be aimed at fulfilling the greatest happiness principle: seek the greatest good for the greatest number
To facilitate this Bentham created the hedonic calculus with seven criteria’s
Assessment is purely quantitative
Bentham thought pain could be measured
There was no differentiation in type of pleasure, any one being as valuable as any other
Pleasure of each individual should count equally
Known as act as it focuses on actions not moral rules

Question 2

Bentham quote

Answer 2

Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do

Question 3

Mill

Answer 3

Mill does not agree that all pleasures are equal and can be measured
Thought about quality of life rather than amount of pleasure
Distinguished between higher (intellectual) pleasures and lower (physical) pleasures
Rule rather than act utilitarianism
Most moral rules have been developed because they were seen to result in the greatest benefits for society

Question 4

Mill quote

Answer 4

It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied

Question 5

Strengths of utilitarianism

Answer 5

The factual and empirical nature of propositions
The objective nature of right/wrong enables us to assess our actions
Many of these theories give helpful guidelines and rules; punishment for those who break them is justified

Question 6

Weaknesses

Answer 6

G.E Moore accused naturalist theories of committing the naturalistic fallacy as ‘is’ does not lead to ‘ought’
Good is undefinable and any attempt to derive it from fact leads to further questions
If morality is just a case of subjective personal preference then there can be no moral rules

Question 7

Counter- responses

Answer 7

Neo naturalism suggests that biological and sociological facts about humans lead to the conclusion that practice of the virtues is essential to fulfilment of our nature. This overcomes the challenge of the naturalistic fallacy
Most people reject the approach of non-cognitivism as it leads to social anarchy and as trivialising important human convictions that certain acts are wrong in themselves