Utilitarianism Flashcards
Greatest happiness (for the greatest number)
There is one rule or guiding principle underpinning UT. This is the principle of utility - people should act to bring about the greatest happiness for the greatest number. What maximises happiness is right.
The hedonic calculus
The principle of utility centres around delivering the greatest amount of pleasure and least amount of pain. Bentham’s solution to measuring this is the ‘hedonic calculus’.
Criteria of the hedonic calculus
Seven elements to consider.
1) Intensity of the pleasure - more intense the better
2) Duration of the pleasure - the longer the better.
3) certainty of pleasure - more certain the better.
4) Fecundity of pleasure - the more chance the pleasure will be repeated the better (or result in other pleasures)
5) propinquity of pleasure - the nearer the pleasure is to you, the better.
6) purity of the pleasure - the less amount of pain, the better.
7) extent of pleasure - the more people experiencing it the better.
Mill and ‘happiness’
He revises Bentham’s definition of happiness (pleasure). Mill equates happiness as fulfilment, virtuous and wholesome; that which will lead to well-being.
Mill - Different types of pleasure
Higher pleasures - stimulate the mind, eg. learning an instrument, going to the opera or learning a language.
Lower pleasures - physical, such as eating and sex.
Mill - quality over quantity
Pleasure should be qualitative rather than quantitive.
Mill - universability
Mill wanted to show that what is right or wrong for one person in one situation is right or wrong for all.
Act Utilitarianism
Normally associated with Bentham. Each situation is different and so had to be calculated afresh. For each situation the calculus should be applied. Act UT appears to favour the individual rather than the majority.
Rule Utilitarianism
Previous experiences did help us make decision - there are rules throughout history which have proved to produce happiness. These rules are universal in any situation. Moral actions are those which conform to the rules that lead to the greatest good
Strong RUT
Rules must be absolutely followed at all times.
Weak RUT (Like Mill)
Rules are more like guidelines - in some circumstances the rules can be broken if an alternative course would produce happiness.
Greatest happiness principle
Assessing which course of action to take, the action which will produce the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number.
John Stuart Mill quote about pigs and fools
‘It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied’.
Preference UT
The right thing to do is that which produces the best consequences in terms of preference. This is based on the questions: ‘What outcome do I prefer?’ and ‘what is in the best interests of those concerned?’ The principle of utility is still followed, so Pr UT considers the preferences of all sentient beings. The more preferences satisfied in the world, the better.
