UTILITARIANISM

Question 1

What type of ethical theory is Utilitarianism?

Answer 1

It is consequentialist, relativist and teleological

Question 2

What are the two different types of Utilitarianism?

Answer 2

Act Utilitarianism and Rule Utilitarianism

Question 3

Who is the main thinker for Act Utilitarianism and who is the main thinker for Rule Utilitarianism?

Answer 3

Act: Jeremy Bentham

Rule: John Stuart Mill

Question 4

What is a quote Bentham said about ethics and human nature and what does the quote mean?

Answer 4

‘Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we out to do, as well as to determine what we shall do.’ - An introduction to the principles of morals and legislation

This quote is saying that pain and pleasure control us humans.

Question 5

What is the Hedonic Calculus?

Answer 5

A method of working out the sum total of pleasure and pain produced by an act, and thus the total value of its consequences

Question 6

What are the 7 features of the Hedonic Calculus?

Answer 6

• Intensity of pleasure or pain
• Duration of pleasure or pain
• Certainty of pleasure or pain
• Propinquity of pleasure or pain (how soon)
• Fecundity of pleasure or pain (how likely to lead to further pleasure or pain)
• Purity of it (will the pleasure lead to pain)
• Extent (how many people will be affected)

Question 7

What is a quote Bentham said about happiness for the numbers?

Answer 7

’ The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation.’

Question 8

What are some problems with Act Utilitarianism?

Answer 8

• You can justify any action as long as it brings pleasure to the majority
• Disregards the minority
• Damaging actions can make some people happy (community of sadists)
• Hard to measure whether or not the action will actually bring the greater good

Question 9

What did Mill say about humans?

Answer 9

’ It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool or pig, are of a different opinion, it is because they know only their side of the question.’

Question 10

What is the difference between higher and lower pleasures according to Mill?

Answer 10

Higher: pleasures that are mentally stimulating such as intellect

Lower: bodily pleasures/pleasures which are not concerned with out mental lives such as eating food

Question 11

How does Mill disagree with Bentham’s views?

Answer 11

Mill rejects Bentham’s view that humans are unrelentingly driven by narrow self-interest