Utilitarinism

Question 1

What type of theory is Utilitarianism?

Answer 1

Teleological
Consequentialist

Question 2

What is Bentham principle?

Answer 2

The Greatest Happiness for the Greatest Number

Question 3

What is the Hedonic Calculus?

Answer 3

Bentham proposed there is a mathematical way to seek pleasure which is

Question 4

What is Hedonic Calculus 7 ways to Maximise your happiness?

Answer 4

• Intenisty:How strong is the pleasure or pain that is involved
• Duration=How long it will last
• Certainty of pleasure
• Fecundity-leads other to pleasure
• Propinquity- how near to pleasure
• Purity-some pleasure involve pain as well as which are not as pure as pleasures that have no pain
• Extent-more people that experience it the better

Question 5

What is Swine Ethics?

Answer 5

ethics that treats us as if we were pigs. It assumes that we are creatures that value each pleasure identically

Question 6

What is Mill problems with Bentham Utilitarian argument?

Answer 6

1) Bentham he does not distinguish between sorts of pleasure or give them a ranking order
2)Minorites that are left out
3) Pleasure Mill saw was more than animal instincts example sex food, drink

Question 7

Mill famous quote?

Answer 7

'’it is better to be Socartes being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied’’

Question 8

What is Mill Higher Pleasure?

Answer 8

Stimulate mind. only be experienced by humans such as enjoyment of art

Question 9

What is Mill Lower pleasure?

Answer 9

shared with animal’s example such as food, sleep and sex

Question 10

What does Mill recognise about reality?

Answer 10

-People do not always go for the higher pleasure due to ignorance
-A Competent judge who has experienced both the higher and lower pleasures will argue that higher pleasures are more important

Question 11

What is Act utilitarian?

Answer 11

idea that we should always perform the act that leads to the greatest balance of good and evil example may be greater happiness produced by telling your friend the correct direction to the shops if they need to purchase some essential food
-Apply the Hedonic Calculus to each of theses situations absolute

Question 12

Strength of Act?

Answer 12

• Objectively apply hedonic calculus to situations providing clear guidance
• Subjective-takes into account individuals acts
• Same applies to everyone hedonic calculus is equal

Question 13

Weakness of Act?

Answer 13

• Impractical applying hedonic calculus to every situation
• Hedonic calculus can be misused and make bad ethical action

Question 14

What is Rule utilitarianism?

Answer 14

Idea that we should always follow the rule that generally leads to the greatest balance of good over evil for society rather than the individual example promote happiness example Do not Murder, Do not Rape
-Mills was a Weak Rule Utilitarian though because he believed that the rule sometimes needs to change for extreme situations example do not murder imagine they had defend themselves

Question 15

Strength of Rule?

Answer 15

• Fair rules apply to everyone
• Interested in maximising happiness in society
• Based on natural human morality which is universal wanting to help one or another

Question 16

Weakness of Rule?

Answer 16

• Every situation is extreme you might break the rule

Question 17

What is Peter singer Utilitarianism?

Answer 17

-Preference utilitarianism argues that people should be allowed to pursue their preferences as long as this does not interfere with anyone else’s pursuit of happiness.

Question 18

What is Nozicks Experience machine?

Answer 18

consider the possibility that scientists invent a machine that you can step into that will give you every possible pleasure able sensation you could ever wish to experience but these are not real experiences
-Nozick suggests most of us in the world will decline the offer of being plugged into the machine as we value our real life experiences far more. This shows pleasure is not the ultimate thing we aim for in life

Question 19

Utilitarianism strength?

Answer 19

• Utilitarianism is egalitarian and allows us personal autonomy-it’s not legalistic like deontological ethical theories. In terms of sexual ethics this is good as it’s fair to believe that we are autonomous regarding sexual issues
• The consequentialist nature allows us to apply utilitarianism to our own situation and also unlike deontological theories looks onward and into the future.
• Utilitarianism focuses on pleasure which is consistent with what human’s desire.We want which makes this theory more realistic than many others.Realistically in modern society sex is mostly based on pleasure.Utilitarianism is therefore practical in tackling the important of pleasure-it’s a realistic approach to sexual ethics

Question 20

Utilitarianism weakness?

Answer 20

• Consequence cannot be foreseen and actions may be taken which are not for ‘greater good’ at all-it is all a matter of chance and probability.This is a weakness for both - if you can’t tell what will happen in the future
• Intuitionist W.D Ross refers to utilitarianism “single factory theory” by this he is criticising its narrow one track nature as explaining about above
• Utilitarianism exploits the minority in terms of business this would mean that a company could morally use sweatshops in order to appeal to the majority in term of selling cheap produce
• Hedonic calculus is hard to use apply for business and same sex this is an issue.Practically you need a theory which can be applied.Bentham’s Hedonic calculus provides several issues