Utility And Desire Flashcards
Mills universal utilitarianism
the happiness of the self and others are dependent on eachother and thus arguing either independently fails
Is Mills a hedonist?
NO - the doctrine of higher pleasures is in direct conflict with hedonistic utilitarianism and consistently Mills rejects hedonism entirely
Mills favours an argument based on the concept of human happiness as exercised by rational capacities rather than just pleasure
Mill believes that higher activities have intrinsic value independent of causing pleasure, rather than a greater valued mental state as Bentham suggests
Is Mills an act or rule utilitarian?
Combines aspects of both
Version of act utilitarianism in which acts are right or obligatory if the consequences to human welfare are good or no better act is available to the agent
Desire-satisfaction theory
A good life is defined as one in which you your cesires are satisfied - there are different version of this, with some characterising the desires as informed desires, others in a more hedonistic manner
We can desire things we haven’t experienced yet - closes this problem off
rebuttal to experience machine - explains that desires have to actually be fulfilled
offers logical relationship between desire, pleasure and pain (pleasure/ pain responses to fulfillment or lack of it or desires)
When competent judges vote beyond desire
Competent judge can choose action which incurs the same or less pleasure if it appeals to human dignity
their preference reflects judgment about the value of activities independent of desire - perceived value of the action explains preference rather than preference explaining value
How ‘on utilitarianism’ works with ‘on liberty’
Mill thinks of liberty as a means of self expression/ ability to engage higher faculties and form autonomous opinions - equally higher faculties are in the highest possible position in his conception of utilitarianism
liberty as intrinsically valuable?
Mill and the concept of secondary principles
Mill has a flexible view of secondary principle - they are rules which work in general but can be broken morally if the situation demands it, in which situation appeal directly to the first principle
The problem of an intellectual elite
an intellectual elite could deprive all others of their basic liberties provided that it is used to create resources for intellectuals to realsie higher faculties - no amount of basic liberty can compete
Response to the problem of an intellectual elite
in order to maximize utility it is required that all be members of the elite in order to engage the most higher faculties
The success theory (Version of desire-fulfillment theory)
appeals only to the desires about our own lives, for success theory it is relevant whether the desires are fulfilled in actuality rather than if we just perceive it
Objection to the success theory
How can the actual outcome of a childs life effect their dead parent? Irrational
if someone desires most to hurt as many people as possible undetected, under this theory that would be the best lifr for them (this is an individualist view of the theory not a globalised one)
Problems with the experience machine
Potentially proves that the mental state of pleasure is not the only thing valued in a good life
(Autonomy, choice, reality of the experience)
BUT perhaps we are just risk averse or arrogant
Problems of desire fulfillment theory
Do we get pleasure if we don’t know that our desire has been satisfied?
Desires change over the course of our lives - do we prioritise the past or present?
What about desires associated with addiction that you don’t actually want?
The problem of the Drug Addict
Possible rebuttal of desire-satisfaction theory
Somone is presented with an unlimited supply of an addictive drug with no bad side effects to take every day
Before taking thedrug the have a desire to not have addictions - should they honour this or their new daily desire to take the drug?
Desire will be satisfied more if they take it
What are global desires?
Possible foil to the drug addict example
Draws a distinction between long and short term desires, with long term desires taking precedent
