Utilitarianism - Bentham Flashcards
Where did Bentham write about utilitarianism?
Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation
What is a hedonist?
Someone who loves pleasure. People should seek pleasure and avoid pain.
What is an act utilitarian?
Someone who assesses the amount of pleasure that each act brings.
What type of thinking was Bentham?
He was a consequentialist, utilitarianism is a teleological theory.
What did Bentham think about laws?
He thinks that they should lead to the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
What is the Fabric of Felicity?
This is Bentham’s way of stating that morality should be based on net happiness and avoidance of pain.
What did Bentham write about pleasure and pain?
“nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pleasure and pain”
What are the units of pleasure and pain?
Hedons and Dolors
For Bentham, what causes immorality?
False arithmetic i.e. wrong use of the Hedonic Calculus.
Did Bentham make distinction between pleasures?
He made no distinction between qualities of pleasure. He wrote that “Pushpin is a good as poetry”.
What were Bentham’s views on private and public interests?
The outcomes of private and public interests often coincide. A man must try to bring together public and private interests.
What is the Hedonic Calculus?
Weighing up of Hedons and Dolors to see what brings the most amount of happiness. Looks at and assesses the amount of pleasure gained in each act.
What does Bentham call the Hedonic Calculus?
“mathematical arithmetic”
What are the 7 factors of the Hedonic Calculus?
Intensity, duration, certainty, remoteness fecundity, purity and extent
What does Bentham mean by intensity?
How intensely felt is the pain or happiness?
What does Bentham mean by duration?
How long lasting is the pain or happiness?
What does Bentham mean by certainty?
How certain is the pain or pleasure?
What does Bentham mean by remoteness?
How far into the future pain/pleasure lasts?
What does Bentham mean by fecundity?
Happiness is followed by happiness rather than pain.
What does Bentham mean by purity?
As much happiness as possible without pain.
What does Bentham mean by extent?
How many people are affected - the more happiness the better.
What does Bernard Williams say about act utilitarianism?
It appeals to atheists as it does not appeal to religious scriptures as a source of authority
What does Alistair Macintyre say about act utilitarianism?
Greatest Happiness - leaves problem of minority groups.
What are some other issues with act utilitarianism?
Sometimes what makes you happy isn’t morally right
Public and private interests can conflict
Differences between pleasures
Hedonic Calculus isn’t very practical - very time consuming
Give an example of how public and private interests can conflict?
For example, Cannabis doesn’t bring happiness for the whole, but can bring happiness for individuals
What are the issues with a teleological approach?
You can’t accurately predict outcomes and some consequences are unforeseen such as duration and remoteness.
What is the trolley example?
A trolley is barrelling down a tack, ahead of it are 5 people who are unable to move and on a different track there is one person. Do you pull the lever and save the 5 and kill the one or do you do nothing, leaving the 5 to die but saving the one?
What was Bentham’s strict equality principle? (Quote)
“Everyone to count as one and no-one as more than one”
What was Bernard Williams’ integrity objection?
We would be forced to do things which go against the integrity of being a human being - no one could shoot one person if it saved the many.
