Utilitarianism

Question 0

Define Ethics

Answer 0

A branch of philosophy concerned with morality

Question 1

Define morality

Answer 1

Whether actions are right or wrong

Question 2

Three main ways of doing ethics

Answer 2

Normative approach
Descriptive approach
Metaethics

Question 3

Define normative ethics

Answer 3

Deciding how people should act and what moral rules should be made

Question 4

Define descriptive ethics

Answer 4

A form of anthropology that compares different ethical beliefs without making value judgements

Question 5

Define metaethics

Answer 5

Exploring the meaning of moral language

Question 6

Give an example of a normative ethical answer

Answer 6

Is sex before marriage right?

Question 7

Give an example of a descriptive ethical question

Answer 7

What do the Christian and Muslim traditions teach about sex before marriage?

Question 8

Give an example of a meta ethical question

Answer 8

What do we mean when we say that sex before marriage is good

Question 9

What are the two main parts of normative ethics

Answer 9

Teleological and Deontological

Question 10

What is Teleological ethics concerned with?

Answer 10

The ends or consequences of actions

Question 10

What is Deontological ethics concerned with?

Answer 10

Not the consequence rather the action

Question 11

What is intrinsically good?

Answer 11

A built in good meaning it doesn’t need to be questioned why it is good

Question 12

What are the disadvantages of Teleological ethics?

Answer 12

We do not know what the result will be

Do all ends justify the means?- Can we justify rape?

Question 13

In Teleological ethics is the action always intrinsically good?

Answer 13

No it isn’t because it is good by the virtue of the result

Question 14

Name an advantage of Deontological ethics

Answer 14

Deontologists can take strong moral positions

Question 15

Name a disadvantage of Deontological ethics

Answer 15

They can’t take a flexible stance to take into account special circumstances or culture groups with other religious perspectives

Question 16

What does practical ethics focus on?

Answer 16

Debates about specific dilemmas, such as abortion or euthanasia

Question 17

Define Utilitarianism

Answer 17

Focuses about the consequences or results of your actions, not the actions itself

Question 18

Who was Jeremy Bentham?

Answer 18

A 18th and 19th Century academic who focused on the law system of the time but who is remembered for his theory

Question 19

Who was John Stuart Mill?

Answer 19

A 19th Century academic who adapted the theory who felt the Bentham’s theory needed to be changed

Question 20

What are the three components of Bentham’s theory of Utilitarianism?

Answer 20

His views on goodness, badness and what drove humans
The principle of utility
Hedonic Calculus

Question 21

What was Mill’s main criticism?

Answer 21

He felt it should be qualitative rather than quantitative

Question 22

How did Mill fix his criticism?

Answer 22

Added the concept of higher and lower pleasures

Question 23

What was Bentham's view on goodness, badness and what drives humans

Answer 23

Believed that human beings were driven by pleasure and pain and that humans would seek pleasure and avoid pain

Question 24

What are the seven parts of the hedonic calculus?

Answer 24

``` Intensity Duration Certainty Propinquity Fecundity Purity Extent ```

Question 25

What do the first four factors of the hedonic calculus focus on?

Answer 25

Pleasure and pain caused by the action

Question 26

What is act utilitarianism?

Answer 26

The rightness or wrongness of an act is calculated by the amount of happiness resulting from each individual act

Question 27

What determines what is is right in act utilitarianism?

Answer 27

Those that have the best consequences

Question 28

What is the only thing that matters in Act Utilitarianism?

Answer 28

The amount of happiness or unhappiness caused

Question 29

What are the criticisms of Act Utilitarianism?

Answer 29

Has the potential to justify almost any act, as long as it guarantees happiness Impractical to suggest we should measure each and every moral choice if doesn't fulfil hedonic calculus Doesn't consider special responsibility (e.g cancer specialist vs father)

Question 30

What is rule utilitarianism?

Answer 30

The action line stealing can be seen as acceptable if it has positive consequences

Question 31

What is a criticism of Act Utilitarianism?

Answer 31

Could be bad for certain minority groups if rule is not in their favour

Question 32

Give three reasons why the end of pain and suffering is more important than the increase of pleasure

Answer 32

The outcome could be more pleasurable for this person The increase of pleasure could be achieved by causing more pain Duration of pleasure could be for a moment while suffering can be long term

Question 33

Give three reasons why the increase of pleasure is more important than the end of pain and suffering

Answer 33

We need an element of suffering to appreciate pleasure Sometimes achieve pleasure some have to suffer e.g war If the pleasure is great for many

Question 34

Who influenced preference utilitarianism?

Answer 34

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill

Question 35

What does Preference Utilitarianism disagree with Bentham and Mill over?

Answer 35

Says people have preferences over pleasure over pain

Question 36

What does Preference Utilitarianism put an emphasis on?

Answer 36

People's preference over happiness

Question 37

Why does Preference Utilitarianism attract secular society?

Answer 37

No religion is needed

Question 38

Who created Preference Utilitarianism?

Answer 38

Peter Singer

Question 39

What is Preference Utilitarianism's weaknesses?

Answer 39

Consequences are multiple People disagree over which is the best consequence Difficult to calculate

Question 42

What is the positives of preference utilitarianism?

Answer 42

Sensitive to consequences so there should not be any disasters

Question 43

Define Act Utilitarianism

Answer 43

Every act is judged on its consequences

Question 44

Define Rule Utilitarianism

Answer 44

Actions are judged right and wrong by reference to rules made by e.g. society

Question 45

Define Preference Utilitarianism

Answer 45

Referred to by Singer, we should take people's preferences into account if we know or can guess what they are

Question 46

What are the benefits of utilitarianism?

Answer 46

They consider the wide use of this theory in dealing with many issues that arise in daily life; e.g. government spending plan

Question 47

What are the criticisms of Utilitarianism?

Answer 47

Calculating consequences Problem of special responsibilities Problem of justice

Question 48

What is Utilitarianism's view on the Ten Commandments?

Answer 48

It is against divine moral codes and so disagrees with the Ten Commandments

Question 49

Why is Jesus's execution compatible with the Utilitarianism?

Answer 49

Because he died to save all sin, a prime example of 'the greatest good for the greatest number'

Question 50

Is Utilitarianism deontological or teleological?

Answer 50

Deontological

Question 51

Define Environmental Ethics

Answer 51

The moral rights and wrongs to do with the environment.

Question 52

What does something have to be for Bentham to consider in his moral calculations?

Answer 52

All sentient beings, as long as they feel pain

Question 53

Why is Bentham's Hedonic Calculus useful for application to Environmental Ethics?

Answer 53

Because it is important for a balanced decision, for example, in the case of a dam balancing the needs of the humans and the animals

Question 54

What do Bentham and Mill agree over environmental ethics?

Answer 54

That all those affected should be treated equally

Question 55

What is the implication of the principle of equality in utilitarianism in regards to the environment?

Answer 55

That any issue in the long term should take into account the needs of the people of the future since it will affect them more

Question 56

What do Bentham and Mill disagree over in regards to environmental ethics?

Answer 56

According to Mill not all sentient beings should be considered

Question 57

What is the title of the essay Mill wrote on the environment?

Answer 57

Nature Mill

Question 58

What does Mill say nature has?

Answer 58

Nature has powers which are "often towards man in the position in the form of enemies"

Question 59

What does Mill say man must do in regards to nature?

Answer 59

He "must wrest, by force or ingenuity, what he can for his own use"

Question 60

What does Mill say about man's role in regards to nature?

Answer 60

He says we have a duty to consider what implications our actions may have upon the environment because man has a superior intelligence

Question 61

What does Singer argue about Mill's views on the environment?

Answer 61

That Mill is saying that man cannot ignore the interests of sentient animals because they can experience pain.

Question 62

What implications does Singer's argument about Mill have on the environment?

Answer 62

We must be careful with natural resources, for example, by maintaining biodiversity in rainforests