utilitarianism (4) Flashcards
basics of utilitarianism
the right thing to do is the thing that leads to the greatest good for the greatest number/
what type of theory is utilitarianism
relativistiic, ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ is not fixed
telelogical, based on outcome
utility principle
Bentham says humans motivated by pleasure/pain. this is nature- do the thing that brings more good than evil. the utility principle,, do whatever is useful to bring greatest good
hedonic calculus
Bentham suggests there is a mathematical approach to pleasure/pain. things to consider:
- intensity, how strong is it
- duration, how long it lasts
- certainity, will it defo occur
- propinquity, how soon will it occur
- fecundity, will it lead to other pleasure
- purity, how likely will pain happen
- extent, how many effected
swine ethics objection
treats people as pigs, assumes that we are only animals who all value pleasure the same. Bentham claimed that poetry was as pleasurable as push penny.
problem with utilitarianism
Bentham would justify gang rape, as it would bring more pleasure to more people however evil.
Mill’s two types of pleasure
higher- intellectual and social pleasure only humans can enjoy
lower- both humans and other creatures can enjoy these, sex, food.
Mill and pleasure
says all competant judges who have experienced higher/lower pleasure will argue higher more important. So, gang rape example is disregarded.
problems with quantitative utilitarianism
Mill says it risks ‘tyranny’ where pleasure of majority disregards the suffering minority.
non harm principle
Mill writes of this in ‘liberty’, says every individual should be allowed to live how they choose as long as t doesnt cause harm. Gov should only place laws to stop harm.
utilitarianism is helpful when making moral decisions
- relatively straight forward
- difficult to object that happiness is a good thing.
- secular ethic and does not rely on good or any meta idea that cannot be proven
- democratic and counts everyone as equal regardless of who they are
utilitarianism is not a helpful way of making moral decisions
- whilst straightforward, application is not as so many factors to consider
- requires a reasonable prediction on the outcome of an action
- greatest good for greatest number leads to poor treatment of minorities
- hard to measure pleasure
- disregards moral agency
Jim and the Indians
Bernard Williams gives a situation where utilitarian can save 10 lives by killing 1 person. argues that even if it was the right thing to do it would still be hard, moral agents who have to live with themselves.
act utilitarianism
aims to produce best balance of good over evil ie Betham hedonic calculus. an act utilitarian would give you changing response depending on circumstance.
rule utilitarianism
also aims to produce best balance, but has the common good of society at the starting point. we know certain actions typically lead to pleasure so we are able to utilitarian a rule ‘do not kill’. they are not fixed and based on good and bad.
strong/weak rule
strong= once we have decided on rules that bring the greatest good these are fixed
weak= allows for exceptions. whilst there are general rules but exceptional cases may change this
is mill act or rule
he argues past experiences allows us to know tedencies of actions and principles of liberty and no harm. seen best as a rule utilitarian as he is aware of problems like Kant and lying.
act utilitarinism is the better approach to moral decisions
- it is case by case for Act and allows for flexibility when recognising no two situations are the same
- rule is an inchoerent position as the theory ends up collapsing into act anyway when more exceptions allowed (JJC Smart)
rule utilitarinism is the better approach to moral decisions
- offers a quicker approach to decision making and recognises that case by case is unnecessary
- allows us to make rules that uphold justice and rights that may be lost in individual cases for act. McCloskey example where sheriff chooses to arrest an innocent man for greater good would not be justified by Rule
John Stuart Mill
says that if we want to know what is good we should look at what people desire. people seek pleasure as an end within itself and everything is desirable if it causes happiness. happiness is the good thing.
Mill and happiness
if we want to know what is visible, the only way to probe this is by asking what can be seen. we can only know what is desirable by observing what people desire.
distribution problem
if we can measure pleasure, then we may create the same amount of happiness/pain but may be distributed odd. person X is 10 hedons happier and Y and Z are 1 hedon less there are 12 hedons. however, 3 X 4 hedons seems less happoy but still tthe same
happiness, pleasure and goodness can be measured
- Mill’s argument that happiness is desirable is reliant on the idea we can measure/observe what people desire
- preference versions may avoid problems with measuring as argue happiness is in preference satifisfaction.
- neuroscience may mean it could be possible to measure happiness based on the pain at certain moments
happiness, pleasure and goodness cannot be measured
- things that are quantfiable have units if measurement
- pleasure is often subjective to the person. however we all have different types of pleasure
- assuming pain can be measured it would have to be like Betham ‘push penny’- yet Mill thinks there are higher and lower
