utilitarianism

• An ethical theory which argues that the correct way of action is that derived from working out what brings happiness to the greatest number

  What is utilitarianism
• The belief that pleasure is the chief good


  What is hedonism
• Concerned with the amount


  quantitative
• concerned with the quality

  qualitative
• hedonistic and teleological

  What are the main two qualities of Bentham's Act Utilitarianism
• Bentham

  'two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure' which 'govern us in all we do
• Actions which bring about pleasure or the lack of pain


  According to act utilitarianism, which actions are good ones
• The principle of utility


  'that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever
• an action is good if it produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number

  Greatest Happiness Principle
• he was a psychological hedonist


  Why did Bentham believe that you should seek pleasure over pain
• the results justify the means


  What does it mean that act utilitarianism is instrumental
• principle of utility


  According to Bentham, what is the only thing which offers an understanding of rights based on concrete observable verification
• hedonic calculus


  How did Bentham work out whether the calculus was morally good
• felicific/utility

  other names for the hedonic calculus
• duration/intensity/propinquity/extent/certainty/purity/fecundity


  What are the 7 hedons
• how long will the pleasure last

  Duration hedon
• how intense will the pleasure be


  Intensity hedon
• How near is the pleasure to you

  Propinquity hedon
• How universal will the pleasure be?


  Extent hedon
• how certain is it that pleasure will be the result of the action

  Certainty hedon
• Is there likely to be pain mixed with pleasure?


  Purity hedon
• Will it lead to furthur pleasure?

  Fecundity hedon
• Bentham, hedonic calculus

  'the balance, if it be on the side of pleasure, will give the good tendency of the act upon the whole
• Bentham, pleasures are the ends we seek


  'pleasures then... are the ends that the legislator has in view
• Bentham, how the hedonic calculus was democratic


  'everybody is to count for one, and nobody for more than one
• Bentham, how the hedonic calculus was egalitarian


  'no one person's pleasure is greater than another's
• appeals to human nature, allows for benevolence and sympathy/fair, objective and democratic


  Strengths of act utilitarianism
• commits the naturalistic fallacy

  What is the major problem with act utilitarianism
• You have to use the calculus with each moral action which is largely time consuming, and it is also unclear how you measure pleasure, as you don't know the responses of individuals involved

  Why is the calculus a problem with act utilitarianism
• The minorities lose out in any situation, and any action is justifiable when using the calculus


  What is the problem of liberty and the rights of the individual when using the hedonic calculus
• Any action should add to the general happiness, and so if you are going to buy someone a gift it would be morally better to give that money to charity instead as it would create more happiness for more people - the happiness of specific individuals don't matter

  What is the problem of particular relationships with act utilitiarianism
• it is irrelevant what our intentions are as to whether an action is good or bad which completely goes against our human nature

  What is the problem of act utilitarianism not recognising moral values
• John Stuart Mill

  Who theorised Rule Utilitarianism
• Value theory

  What is rule utilitarianism based on
• the only thing which is good is happiness


  What is value theory
• an action is right when it complies with those rules which, if everybody follows them, would lead to the greatest happiness


  When is an action right according to rule utilitarianism
• the ones which cause the least harm to others

  according to rule utilitarianism which pleasures should you act out
• No


  does rule utilitarianism persecute the minorities
• qualitative

  What type of pleasure is rule utilitarianism concerned with
• higher and lower pleasures


  What is Mill concerned about due to the fact that he has a qualitative theory