Utilitarianism

Question 1

What is utilitarianism?

Answer 1

It is a normative ethical theory considered to be consequentialist. It’s the consequence of an action that make it either good or right. Utilitarian theories look to minimise pain and maximise pleasure

Question 2

First utilitarian and his view

Answer 2

Jeremy Bentham.
— whether an action is right or went depends solely on it consequences
— the only thing that is good is happiness
— no individual’s happiness is more important than anyone else’s

Question 3

What is Act utilitarianism?

Answer 3

It is also quantitative utilitarianism. It’s about qualifying happiness — adding up all the happiness and subtracting pain. Jeremy Bentham provides the FELICIFIC CALCULUS as a way to calculate utility, based on intensity, duration, extent of pleasure and so on.

Question 4

Problem of Act utilitarianism (difficult to calculate)

Answer 4

You can predict the future, for instance, saving a child’s life is presumably a good way to maximise pleasure, but what if that child went on to become a serial killer as an adult — then saving his life would be a bad thing according to utilitarianism.

But even if we could predict the future:
—How do we compare the variables of the calculus (intensity and duration)
— Which beings do we include in calculation? Animals? Is a dog’s pain equal to human being’s?

Question 5

Possible response to “difficult to calculate” problem?

Answer 5

Bentham says the felicific calculus is more a general guide to be “kept in view”

“It is not to be expected that this process should be strictly pursued previously to every moral judgment, or to every legislative or judicial operation. It may, however, be always kept in view.”