Utilitarianism (Ethics) Flashcards
What is utilitarianism?
A normative ethical consequentialist theory that argues the most moral action is the one that maximises pleasure for the maximum number of people for the maximum amount of time.
What is hedonism?
An argument proposing pursuing pleasure and avoiding pain is the right thing to do.
What is the utility principle?
Bentham argues we must follow a system that invokes us to maximise happiness and minimise pain.
Explain commensurability
Bentham believes in commensurability- all happiness is of equal value, “push-pin is of the same quality as poetry”.
It matters most that whatever you do makes you happy.
Explain the hedonic calculus
A process to measure how much pleasure or pain an action will give in order to determine what’s most moral.
(Intensity, duration, certainty, remoteness, fecundity, purity, extent)
Points are numerically scored.
What is the example issue with the hedonic calculus?
Hadyn and the oyster: you’re a soul waiting for a life and you have the choice of an oyster who has mild sensual pleasure but you will live for as long as you want. Or a composer who will die at 77 but has a successful, exciting and wonderful life.
The problem is with act utilitarianism duration will trump the other 6 values because it can be manipulated. As the oyster can live forever, that will score maximum points on the calculus making it the right action to take. But that’s counter intuitive and most people would want a shorter but fulfilling life.
Explain some criticisms of act utilitarianism
-It requires us to know the future as we need to know the outcomes of the actions to know whether it’s moral or not which we cannot do.
-Assumes we can make complex calculations about the range of possible actions sometimes under time constraints.
-Calculus objectively measures subjective mental states.
-Tyranny of the majority. Violates the moral intuitions of most people so it incompatible for social stability. A majority of people will always get more pleasure over one person even if it’s torturous.
What is rule utilitarianism?
Mill’s utilitarianism. He removes the hedonic calculus and applies rules instead.
Strong rules are stuck to no matter what.
Weak rules can be broken if it means maximum pleasure.
What are higher and lower pleasures?
Replaces commensurability. Mill argues lower pleasures (sleeping, internet scrolling etc) are pleasures of the body and higher (reading, playing instruments, nursing) are pleasures of the mind. He argues we should be aiming to fulfill higher pleasures in life to be a more moral person.
Explain competent judges
Mill argues in rule utilitarianism that competent judges should be responsible for deciding lower and higher pleasures. They should be people like MPs who are able to look after those in society lower than them, and serve their. He can be seen as being elitist for pushing those in power to assert it.
Explain Mill’s proof of utilitarianism
Mill wanted to prove happiness is the one thing people wanted for its own sake.
- The evidence something is visible is with sight. So, evidence something is desired is that it is desired. Each person desires their own happiness. Therefore each persons happiness is desirable.
-So the general happiness is desired. The general happiness is a good to all people.
-Other elements become a part of happiness for people, so happiness should be seen as the sole end.
-Happiness is the sole good
List issues with Mill’s proof
Naturalistic fallacy, is-ought gap, fallacy of composition
Explain Mill’s naturalistic fallacy
(Moore)The term ‘good’ is undefinable so trying to equate it with a natural property in the world is a mistake. If good meant happiness then it’s meaningless to ask if happiness is good.
Explain Mill’s is ought gap problem
You cannot say how we should behave just because of how we do.
Explain Mill’s fallacy of the composition
Just because each person desires their own happiness it doesn’t mean people desire the general happiness of everyone. Something can apply to parts but not the thing as a whole.
