Utilitarianism

Question 1

What is utilitarianism

Answer 1

It’s a consequentialist theory. The consequences are what determines if an action is good or bad.

Question 2

What does utilitarianism follow

Answer 2

It follows the greatest happiness principle

Question 3

What does the greatest happiness principle divide into

Answer 3

Hedonic principle- pleasure is considered the most important factor
Utility- everyone’s pleasure is considered
Equity- everyone’s pleasure is of equal importance

Question 4

What was Bentham

Answer 4

Bentham was an act utilitarian which means he judged every action individually based on the circumstances at that particular time.

Question 5

What would be the right act for Bentham

Answer 5

It would be the one that bought about maximum pleasure for all concerned

Question 6

What does the hedonic calculus do

Answer 6

It could make a calculation to determine the moral worth of an action, and we’d all have the same score.

Question 7

How many factors did the hedonic calculus have

Answer 7

7!

Question 8

What did Bentham value the most

Answer 8

He valued quantity of pleasure above all else

Question 9

What’s the difference between act and rule utilitarianism

Answer 9

Act looks at the effects of the act itself, while rule asks “what would happen if we did this all the time”

Question 10

What is the moral rule for act utilitarianism

Answer 10

The principle of the greatest happiness for the greatest number is applied in each situation

Question 11

What does act utilitarianism consider

Answer 11

The consequences of an action

Question 12

Weakness of act utilitarianism

Answer 12

There’s an immoral act, no defence for minorities and it’s impractical to say that we should calculate the more consequences of each choice, takes too long

Question 13

What did mill not agrees with Bentham about

Answer 13

It was quality of happiness not quantity that was important

Question 14

What did mill believe in

Answer 14

Higher and lower pleasure

Question 15

What are lower pleasures

Answer 15

Physical like Eating and exercising

Question 16

What are higher pleasures

Answer 16

Intellectual like reading and listening to classical music

Question 17

What pleasure would mill said you would pick

Answer 17

You would always chose the higher pleasure over lower pleasures if you had experience both

Question 18

What does mill use general rules for

Answer 18

To determine if actions are likely to produce the most pleasure, and therefore are more morally better

Question 19

Why us rule classes as better

Answer 19

It’s a bit more realistic as it doesn’t require you to make complex calculations on every single action- it can be more universal

Question 20

What was rule utilitarianism aim

Answer 20

To establish rules on utilitarian principles that benefit all in similar circumstances

Question 21

Why is a weak rule utilitarian are little different from act utilitarian

Answer 21

As the rule may be broken according to circumstance

Question 22

Criticisms of utilitarianism with happiness

Answer 22

1.The problem with happiness- how can you quantify happiness, what makes one person happy might make another person sad.

Question 23

Analysis the tyranny of the majority

Answer 23

If a group of every prison guards want to torture a prisoner- utilitarianism suggest we should do it as the happiness of the guards outweighs the unhappiness of the prisoner

Question 24

Criticisms of utilitarianism 2

Answer 24

There would be some circumstances that have special obligations where we wouldn’t necessarily choose the majority’s happiness
E.g. Of saving your child over strangers. No one would judge you for putting your child above the majority, but utilitarianism wouldn’t allow it

Unrealistic demands, have to make calculations and predictions about every action us time consuming and not practical. There are endless factors to consider and the suggestion is that we always need to be the hero, putting others before ourselves

Question 25

Criticisms of utilitarianism with consequences

Answer 25

It is too difficult to predict exactly what will happen, as there might be unexpected events

Question 26

Criticisms of utilitarianism with equity

Answer 26

If everyone’s happiness is measured what happens if the majority want something bad (tyranny of the majority) utilitarianism would suggest we have to make the most people happy
E.g. If a group of evil prison guards want to torture a prisoner utilitarianism suggest we should do it as the happiness of the guards outweighs the unhappiness of the prisoner