Utilitarianism

Question 1

what is ethical behaviour

Answer 1

behaviour according to virtuous behaviour

Question 2

what is morality

Answer 2

actions are right or wrong rather than the character of the person performing them

Question 3

normative ethics

Answer 3

asking what things are good and what are bad, what is right or wrong. “is sex before marriage wrong’

Question 4

descriptive ethics

Answer 4

describes and compares ways societies answer a moral question ‘what do muslim and christian tradition teach about sex before marriage’

Question 5

metaethics

Answer 5

‘philosophical ethics’ what do we mean when we say good, bed, right, wrong ‘what does it mean when you say sex before marriage is wrong’

Question 6

what are the two branches of normative ethics

Answer 6

teleological and deontological

Question 7

Teleological

Answer 7

end consequence of an action, rightness or wrongness of an action is judged by its outcome

Question 8

Deontological

Answer 8

important thing is action, not result. concerned with nature of the action as acts are intrinsically right or wrong.

Question 9

Utilitarianism

Answer 9

> consequence of actions
Jeremy Bentham
‘greatest happiness for greatest number’
1) views on good and bad and what drives humans
2) principle of utility
3) hedonic calculus

Question 10

what is the principle of utility

Answer 10

and action is right if it produces the greatest good for the greatest number

Question 11

What is the Hedonic calculus

Answer 11

weighs up pleasure and pain
1] its intensity
2] its duration
3] its certainty and uncertainty 
4] its propinquity or remoteness
5] its fecundity- chance of being followed by more pleasure or more pain
6] it purity- chance or being followed by sensations of the following kind
7] its extent- how many does it effect

Question 12

in what ways is utilitarianism compatible with religious approaches

Answer 12

> idea of sacrifice
buddist ideal of avoiding suffering
conscience

Question 13

in what ways is utilitarianism uncompatible with religious approaches

Answer 13

> moral codes (10 commandments) can be broken
were we born to suffer?
sanctity of life overlooked

Question 14

Act utilitarianism

Answer 14

> only thing that matters is the amount of happiness or unhappiness caused
no-ones happiness is more important than others
Benthams approach (is similar to this)

Question 15

criticisms of Act utilitarianism

Answer 15

> justify any act
impractical to judge every time
Extreme results - woman going to cinema
Special responsibility- dad and cancer specialist in crash
justice- innocent to jail as deterrent
some pain is good, some pleasure is bad- sadistic guard
hard to meet all 7 point of calculus

Question 16

positives of Act Utilitarianism

Answer 16

> happiness is promoted
> majority are happy
> assess all areas
> makes you think
> flexible

Question 17

Rule Utilitarianism

Answer 17

> John Stuart Mill- believed in higher and lower pleasures., differed between qualitative and quantitative
higher qualitative pleasure preferred over lower quantitative
the pursuit of bodily pleasures is not a high pleasure
rules are made to achieve higher pleasures; acts are judged to right or wrong by reference to these rules; so universal welfare is established -> actions are right is they follow the rule.

Question 18

criticisms of Rule utilitarianism

Answer 18

> different people consider different things higher and lower pleasures
different values in life
applies to wealthy
is it too complex?
effects minorities- slavery acceptable as long as they are minority
selfish- basing your own higher pleasures over basic needs

Question 19

positives of rule utilitarianism

Answer 19

> overcomes problems from Act Utilitarianism- woman to cinema

Question 20

preference utilitarianism

Answer 20

a utilitarian theory interested in the best consequence for those involved rather than what creates pleasure and pain
> Peter Singer

Question 21

how worthwhile is the pursuit of happiness and is that all people desire? worthwhile-

Answer 21

> happiness is intrinsically good
achieving greatest happiness for greatest good is useful
pursuing happiness makes your perform better
instinctual?
if it is a group pleasure rather than selfish aim
good for mental well-being
purpose in life

Question 22

how worthwhile is the pursuit of happiness and is that all people desire? not worthwhile-

Answer 22

> doesn’t guarantee a good outcome
can be achieved through evil means
what you perceive as happiness might not be it when you find it
our happiness might cause others misery
‘no pain, no gain’
have to receive pain to appreciate pleasure
will we ever be truly happy?
material pleasure change and end

Question 23

Which is more important pain or pleasure? ending pain and suffering or increasing pleasure? ending pain and suffering-

Answer 23

> outcome more pleasurable
better to end all suffering so more people enjoy pleasure
quality of pleasure may be poor or lower so not worth pursuing
increase of pleasure could mean increase in pain for others
ending suffering is kinder
type of pain

Question 24

Which is more important pain or pleasure? ending pain and suffering or increasing pleasure? increasing pleasure-

Answer 24

> need pain to appreciate pleasure
never going to please everyone so make majority happy
sometimes to achieve good some have to suffer
if pain is minimal pleasure is more important
pleasure for many is better than none