Utilitarianism Flashcards
when was Jeremy Bentham alive?
the industrial revolution
The principle of utility
the greatest happiness for the greatest number
egalitarian
each counts for one
hedonic calculus
Duration – how long will it last ?
Intensity – is it intense or only mildly pleasurable ?
Propinquity – how close is it to me ?
Extent – will it affect others close to me ?
Certainty – is it possible it might not happen ?
Purity – is it “tainted” with other considerations ?
Fecundity – might it “breed” more happiness ?
N.I.C.E
modern example of the hedonic calculus. decide decisions like keeping life support machines on etc..
do animals count?
YES! because they an experience pleasure and pain
consequentialist/ relativist
what is right and wrong depends on the circumstances
quantitative
what is best for the greatest number.
J.S.Mill
after Bentham
what does he think Bentham basically said
‘All things being equal, pushpin is as good as poetry’
Tyranny of the majority
what happens to the minority-that’s what counts
what did Mill say?
‘Better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied . . .’
‘Better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied . . .’
Qualitative
the quality is what counts. mill recognises there are higher pleasures (like poetry compared to football!)
STRENGHTS (Bentham)
~It is relativist and consequentialist and therefore flexible. What is right or wrong can depend on the circumstances and the intended outcome.
~Egalitarian
~animals count as they also feel pleasure and pain
~We must consider other people’s preferences and act in the best interest of everyone involved – not just for our own selfish gain
WEEKNESS’S (Bentham)
~Consequences are often hard to predict
~How do we decide where to draw a line around a set of circumstances ?
~Relativist theories are flawed because we treat people differently – what is right in one circumstance is wrong in another – this is unfair !
WEEKNESS’S (J.S.Mill)
~Mill could be accused of being an intellectual snob
~How do we decide which are higher pleasures?
Relativist (mill)
must decide for ourselves what will create the most happiness
Deontological (mill)
he seems to be making rules about which sorts of happiness’s count more than others.
Preference Utilitarianism
~Does not concern itself with calculating happiness which is hard to define or compare. Instead it concerns itself with what would further the interests of most people
~You do what you think will make people happy!
~works out what is a good considering the various trade-offs involved in a situation.
Peter Singer and his examples
Preference utilitarian
~Example- battery farm- If we consider the sum of suffering we recognise that the chickens’ distress outweighs the farmer’s and consumers’ satisfaction. A trade off then will be to ban battery cages because consumers will recognise that more expensive eggs is better than animal cruelty.
~whether a dam should be built in an area of wilderness accessible to only a few able sportsmen. If the dam is built then it will provide clean energy for the state and employment for both the builders and those maintaining the dam.
What does Peter singer accused humans of?
being speciesist
animal liberation
To use animals (particularly sentient ones) to test medicines for human is an example of speciesism.
STRENGTHS of preference utilitarianism
~Happiness is difficult to define and feelings change over time. This is not a good way to make decisions. It is better to consider everyone’s best interests
WEEKNESS’S of preference utilitarianism
~EVERY decision is a difficult moral dilemma
~It is often difficult to decide what will be best for all concerned
~Singer was himself accused of hypocrisy when he chose to put his elderly mother into a home when she was suffering from dementia. Surely the money would be better spent in the developing world ?
