Utilitarianism Flashcards
Who was the original creator of util ?
Jeremy Bentham
Who were the two thinkers who adapted it ?
John S Mill and Peter singer
Who was Jeremy Bentham ?
an english philosopger and known as founder of modern utile
What is the fundamental axiom ?
greatest happiness for the greatest number of people that is the measure of right and wrong
What did Bentham say about pleasure ?
we should focus on pleasure and sometimes this may mean we put our personal opinions aside
What does Bentham say we should use to work this out ?
hedonistic calculus - calculation of balance between pleasure and pain and results from any action
What was Jeremy Benthams text ?
the introduction to the principle of morals and legislation
Quote from his book ?
“pain and pleasure … point out what we ought to ddo and what we should do”
What are the seven values we should weigh up in hedonistic calculus ?
purity
remoteness
richness
intensitty
certainty
extent
duration
What does Hedonistic mean ?
pleasure driven
What is the context ?
the enlightenment era was the great age of reason defined as looking at political religious and social rejection
What key words to describe utile ?
duty and deontological
What was john stuart mills ideas about benthams ideas?
he accepted pleasure was the sole good but disregarded benthams ideas that all pleasures were equal - he suggested this was like ‘pig philosophy’ saying it makes humans like animals
What did Bentham say about actions ?
he argued that no action was ever right or wrong but it depends on the outcome
What did Mill suggest we use instead?
higher and lower pleasures ?
What are higher pleasures ?
pleasures which last a long time - pleasures of the mind developing mind and person
What are lower pleasures ?
directed towards pure pleasure and usually temporary but are significant . Linked to pleasure of body
What was his quote to do with these pleasures ?
“it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied ; it is better to be socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied
What did mills quote about pleasures mean ?
quality of pleasure is important not quantity as long as we are trying to be knowledgable is better than giving up on truth as that would make you a pig
Quote for both mill and bentham about general ideas ?
bentham- According to utile when determining whether the act is right it is the value of the consequence of the particular act that count
mill - in a particular situation i must obey the rule even if it doesnt lead to the greatest pleasure for me in this particular situation
What did Benthams act lead to (negatively )?
justifies any action which brings about most happiness and is impractical - tyranny of majority and suggests bullying gang rape
Weaknesses of Mills rule utile ?
rules can be broken in extreme situations - unspecific and subjective
What was Peter singers branch of utile ?
preference
Quote from peter singer ?
choose the course which brings about the best consequences on balance for all affected
What did he say about the action?
actions are right or wrong according to how they fit the preference of those involved
What is a good thing about this ?
stops tyranny of majority
