Utilitarianism Flashcards
What is Utilitarianism?
Utilitarianism is a moral theory that states the best action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or pleasure while minimizing suffering.
Who are the two main philosophers associated with Utilitarianism?
Jeremy Bentham (founder of classical Utilitarianism) and John Stuart Mill (who refined the theory).
What is the Principle of Utility?
The Principle of Utility states that an action is morally right if it produces the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people.
What is Hedonism in Utilitarianism?
Hedonism is the idea that pleasure (or happiness) is the only intrinsic good, and pain (or suffering) is the only intrinsic bad.
What is the difference between Act and Rule Utilitarianism?
Act Utilitarianism evaluates actions on a case-by-case basis, choosing the one that maximizes happiness.
Rule Utilitarianism follows general rules that, if universally adopted, would produce the greatest happiness.
What is the Hedonic Calculus?
A system created by Jeremy Bentham to measure the amount of pleasure or pain an action produces based on factors like intensity, duration, certainty, and extent.
How did John Stuart Mill modify Bentham’s Utilitarianism?
Mill introduced the distinction between higher and lower pleasures, arguing that intellectual and moral pleasures (e.g., knowledge, creativity) are superior to physical pleasures (e.g., eating, sleeping).
How does Utilitarianism differ from Deontology?
Utilitarianism focuses on consequences (the ends justify the means), while Deontology focuses on moral duties and rules regardless of the outcome
What is Preference Utilitarianism?
A modern version of Utilitarianism (developed by Peter Singer) that considers satisfying people’s preferences rather than just maximizing pleasure.
What is a common criticism of Act Utilitarianism?
It can justify morally questionable actions (e.g., lying, killing) if they produce more happiness overall.
What is a common criticism of Rule Utilitarianism?
It can become similar to Deontology because following strict rules might sometimes prevent the greatest happiness in specific situations.
How does Utilitarianism handle individual rights?
Critics argue that Utilitarianism sacrifices individual rights if doing so benefits the majority. For example, harming one innocent person might be justified if it leads to greater happiness for many.
How does Utilitarianism apply to real-world issues?
It is often used in ethics of policy-making, healthcare, and economics to maximize overall well-being (e.g., cost-benefit analysis in public health decisions).
What is Negative Utilitarianism?
A variation of Utilitarianism that prioritizes minimizing suffering over maximizing pleasure. Some argue this could lead to extreme conclusions, such as eliminating all life to remove suffering.
Consequentialism:
“Look at what your action produces and see if it’s good or not”
Bentham’s Prison: Panopticon
Shaped like a boob/ eye
People would be on their best behavior if they think they are being watched 24/7
“See everything” jail
Trolley Problem:
Kant would say carry on- don’t act, yes there are bad consequences but you’re not taking action so you’re not creating a problem.
This problem illustrates the shortcomings of deontology
Swine Argument (Quantitative Utilitarianism):
- Maximizing pleasure is the most moral thing to do.
- This means that we should live like happy pigs, rather than unhappy humans
- We should not live like happy pigs, this is not the most moral choice
- It’s irrational to give up your human experience to live as the worlds happiest pig
