utilitarianism (2)

Question 1

who defined utilitarianism as:
“the greatest happiness for the greatest number”

Answer 1

Francis Hutcheson

Question 2

who said:
”ethics should be based in what is useful”

Answer 2

David Hume

Question 3

what are the 7 ways of the hedonic calculus (pleasure seeker)

Answer 3

1. intensity
2. duration- how long it lasts
3. certainty of pleasure
4. fecundity- ‘productive’ if it leads to other pleasures
5. propinquity- how near to pleasure
6. purity
7. extent- more people that experience it the better

Question 4

3 weaknesses of the hedonic calculus

Answer 4

1. Teleological- relies on accurately predicted consequences of an action
2. pleasure and pain is subjective
3. HC is hard to apply to immediate ethical dilemas (quantifier)

Question 5

“it’s better to be a human being ______ than a pig satisfied, it’s better to be _____ dissatisfied than a fool satisfied”

• John stuart mill

Answer 5

“it’s better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied, it’s better to be socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied”

Question 6

Quantifiers: Higher and lower pleasure

define and give examples

Answer 6

Lower: being gratification but if we overendulge can be painful e.g. drinking, sex, eating

Higher: stimulate the brain and experienced by humans e.g. art, intellectual conversations

Question 7

what does mill acknowledge about Higher and lower pleasures

Answer 7

people don’t always opt for the higher pleasure out of ignorance

Question 8

define competent judge

Answer 8

a person that’s experienced higher and lower pleasures

Question 9

what are the three parts of mills principle of utility

Answer 9

1. happiness is desirable
2. happiness if the only thing desirable as an end to itself
3. general happiness is all is desirable, increase happiness of others increases your own

Question 10

define aitruism

Answer 10

the usefulness and love for others

Question 11

philosophical critics of mill
W.D Ross

Answer 11

Mills POU is a ‘single factor’ that’s doesn’t account for complex lives or moral decisions

Question 12

philosophical critics of mill
Henry sidwick

Answer 12

“how can we distinguish higher and lower pleasures from eachother… which higher pleasure takes priority in moral decisions”

Question 13

3 strengths of benthams act utilitarianism

Answer 13

1. Subjective- takes into account individaul acts
2. Equality- HC is applied to all in every situation
   3- HC provides clear guidelines on how to make moral decisions

Question 14

2 weaknesses of benthams act utilitarianism

Answer 14

1.can be misused to make bad decisions
2.HC is impractical to apply to every situation

Question 15

2 strengths of mills rule utilitarianism

Answer 15

1.interested in maximising happiness
2. univeral- based in natural human morality

Question 16

2 weaknesses of mills rule utilitarianism

Answer 16

1. you don’t know what situation is extreme enough to break rules
2. in forcing his own values onto people

Question 17

what is relative utilitarianism based on

Answer 17

personal/ traditional cultural views

Looks at the situation and devised a which action will bring the most happiness/ well- being over pain

Question 18

kantian approaches to utilitarianism

moral law= maxims
what are maxims

Answer 18

fixed rules that must always apply

Question 19

kantian approaches to utilitarianism

Kant is a deontological ethical thinker, what does this mean?

Answer 19

the rightness and wrongness is determined by the actions in themselves

Question 20

kantian approaches to utilitarianism

if morality is driven by ____ for _____, we are ___ to animal instinct

Answer 20

if morality is driven by desire for pleasur, we ate slaves to animal instincts

Question 21

kantian approaches to utilitarianism

what is summum bonum

Answer 21

supreme good where we do good it brings happiness to all

think is what it mean for those around before we act

Question 22

“Nature has placed man kind under the governance of two sovereign masters pain and pleasure. it is them alone that point out what we bough to do”

who said this?

Answer 22

Jeremy bentham