Utilitarianism Flashcards
when did jeremy bentham devise this system of ethics
at the start of the industrial revolution
at the time what did people rely on?
bible and tradition
what did jeremy bentham say all we are sure about
we dislike pain and prefer pleasure.
what did jeremy bentham suggest as a principle
the principle of utility
what is the principle of utility
The greatest happiness for the greatest number
what does egalitarian mean
each person is of equal worth
what did bentham say to support egalitarian concepts
‘each is to count for one’
how many steps are there in the hedonic calculus
7
what did benthams come up with (calculus)
the hedonic calculus
why do animals count in the calculus
because they also experience pleasure and pain
what is benthams system of utilitarianism
consequentialist, relativist and quantitative
whats consequentalist
what is good will depend on the circumstances
why is benthams util quantitative
it takes into account the amount of people that are happy
is benthams system act or rule util
ACT because he uses the hedonic calculus to judge each individual case on its own merits.
what are strengths of benthams util
It is relativist and consequentialist and therefore flexible. What is right or wrong can depend on the circumstances and the intended outcome.
its egalitarian
animals count aswell because they experience 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
what are weaknesses of benthams util
consequences are hard to predict
It may be a threat to our own personal integrity
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 !
mill pushpin quote
All things being equal, pushpin is as good as poetry’
what did mill think benthams util could lead to
the tyranny of the majority
mill pig quote
‘Better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied . . .
mill fool quote
Better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied . . .’
what does qualitative utilitarianism realise
recognises the importance of educating people – giving them an opportunity to experience “higher pleasures”
would bentham agree with euthanasia
Bentham would concern himself with numbers . . . How acute is the patient’s suffering ? How do the family members feel ? Would the hospital bed be better used by a patient who has a better chance of recovery ? How much is it costing the NHS to keep this patient alive ?
would mill agree with euthanasia
Mill would be more concerned with qualities of happiness . . . That the patient has a right to choose what happens to them; that they can die a dignifies death
is mill act or rule util
he is rule utilitarianism
weaknesses of mills utilitarianism
Mill could be accused of being an intellectual snob
how do we decide what higher pleasures are
whats preference utilitarianism
it is util which 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
whos an example of a preference utilitarian
peter singer
how does preference util decide what is good
it considers the various trade-offs involved in a situation
what example does peter singer give of trade offs
Peter Singer gives an example of a trade off using a 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.
what does speciesist mean?
claiming human life is sacred above all other animals
