Utilitarianism Flashcards
What is Hedonic Calculus, and what are the 7 variables?
A way to calculate and quantify the utility of an action - weigh up the pleasure and pain:
- Intensity: how strong the pleasure is
- Duration: how long the pleasure lasts
- Certainty: how likely the pleasure is to occur
- Propinquity: how soon the pleasure will occur
- Fecundity: how likely the pleasure will lead to more pleasure
- Purity: how likely the pleasure will lead to pain
- Extent: the number of people affected
Who is the father of Utilitarianism?
The father of Utilitarianism is Jeremy Bentham, who aimed to maximise happiness/pleasure, and minimise unhappiness/pain - “The greatest good for the greatest number” (from Bentham).
He was concerned with social and legal reform, wanting to develop a theory that benefitted the majority
What is Bentham’s Principle of Utility?
The idea that something useful is something good, which maximises happiness/pleasure.
‘An action is right if it produces the greatest pleasure for the greatest number’
What is ancient Hedonism, and how does it relate to Utilitarianism? Define ‘Hedonistic’
Ancient Hedonism pursued physical pleasure, and avoided pain. It promotes the maximisation of pleasure, just like Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism.
Hedonistic = good actions are those that are most pleasurable
Define Utilitarianism
A consequentialist, teleological, normative ethical theory, in which the end justifies the means; as happiness is the supreme end goal, alongside the maximisation of pleasure and reduction of pain.
“The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals.’ - Bentham
Explain Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism
The goodness of an action is judged by the amount of pleasure brought by the outcomes (consequentalist) - Bentham used Hedonic Calculus (quantitive) to work out the goodness of a specific action, and if it’ll benefit the majority.
How is Act Utilitarianism relativist?
Relativist because it calculates the utility of specific actions - e.g. if stealing is right or wrong depends on the particular case, if it increases or decreases utility/pleasure
What is the Burning House Dilemma, and how does it link to Utilitarianism?
If a house was burning down, would you rather save the child, or an expensive painting?
Act Utilitarianism would say save the painting, as the profit from selling it could hypothetically save a lot more children.
OR
If a house was burning down, would you rather save your mother, or a cancer specialist that’s about to find a cure for cancer?
Act Utilitarianism would say the cancer specialist as they’ll save more lives, not considering family ties.
What was Kant’s critique of Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism?
Rules shouldn’t be broken even if it would have a good outcome.
E.g. lying to a Nazi officer about the whereabouts of a Jew would still be morally wrong, as we shouldn’t lie
What are the issues with Bentham’s Hedonic Calculus?
Time-consuming and unrealistic.
We cannot predict the future consequences of our actions
How could Act Utilitarianism permit tyranny?
Could permit an evil act as long as it’s pleasurable for the majority. E.g. could permit the torture of one innocent person to pleasure 100 sadistic people.
Inhumane.
What did John Stuart Mills want to reform about Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism?
Mills didn’t favour hedonism and wanted to define pleasure/happiness rather than follow a simple ‘pleasure measure’
What did Mills say about happiness, and liberty?
He said happiness is complex and dependent on context, therefore Bentham’s ‘pleasure measure’ isn’t effective.
Liberty, freedom and individuality leads to joy, therefore we shouldn’t supress the wishes of the minority as we have individual wishes
What is Rule Utilitarianism?
Following a rule to the principle of utility - if an action is good, it’ll conform to a rule that maximises happiness
Deontological, because it focuses on following rules rather than the consequences.
Qualitative, focuses on the quality of pleasure
What are Mill’s higher and lower pleasures?
“Some kinds of pleasure are more desirable and valuable than others” - Mills
Lower pleasures = gained through bodily activity, such as sex, eating and drugs. They’re addictive and tempt people into a ‘nearer good’, over ‘greater goods’ (such as health).
Higher pleasures = gained through mental activity, such as poetry, reading and music. Have a lasting enlightenment effect on the brain, more durable
What did Mill say about the quality of pleasure?
Higher pleasures are more durable and valuable than lower ones.
“Some kinds of pleasure are more desirable and valuable than others” - Mills
What is a ‘competent judge’? (Mills)
‘Competent judges’ experience both higher and lower pleasures, yet always prefer higher pleasures, demonstrating its superiority
What’s Mill’s ‘first principle’?
First principle = principle of utility. To maximise happiness over suffering
What’s Mill’s ‘secondary principle’?
He said hedonic calculus is too subjective and difficult, therefore we should use our limited knowledge to follow ‘secondary principles’ / general rules that society’s created to avoid suffering
E.g. do not kill
What’s Mill’s ‘harm principle’?
We should be free to do whatever we want, as long as we aren’t harming anybody
What’s Strong Rule Utilitarianism, and Weak Rule Utilitarianism?
Strong = rules should be followed no matter what
Weak = rules can be broken if it maximises happiness
Why is Strong Rule Utilitarianism criticised?
Abandons the principles of utilitarianism, is too deontological as it focuses on following rules rather than the consequences
Why is Weak Rule Utilitarianism criticised?
Becomes act utilitarianism rather than rule utilitarianism, as rules are no longer required
What are the differences between Bentham’s and Mill’s utilitarianism?
Bentham = Quantity, Mills = Quality
Bentham = pleasure, Mills = categorised pleasure
Bentham = specific acts, Mills = universal rules
What did Henry Siolgwick say about utilitarianism?
- Ultimate goal = pleasure over pain
- Distinguishing between pleasures = intuitive
- Got rid of hedonic calculus + higher / lower pleasures, saying we instinctively know right from wrong
What is Preference Utilitarianism, and who proposed it?
Making decisions that maximise the ‘best interests’ of all individuals
Individuals > Individual preferences > Trade offs made for the universal happiness.
Equality beyond culture, race, age and species.
“My interests cannot… count more than the interests of anybody else’ - Peter Singer
What was John C. Harsanyi’s utilitarianism? How did Singer respond?
Extended on Singer’s Preference Utilitarianism:
1. Manifest preferences = based on immediate desires/needs
2. True preferences = based on the reflection of all info’ and wider consequences
Peter Singer said true preferences could only be real if everybody was ‘fully informed, reflective and vividly aware of the consequences
What’s Negative Utilitarianism, and who proposed it?
More ways to do harm than good, so we should aim to minimise suffering and maximise pleasure.
By Karl Popper
