Utilitarianism evaluation

• Does utilitarianism provide a helpful method of moral decision-making:

  • doesn't require religious belief of a particular kind
  • reasonable to understand
  • reasonable processes to solve moral problems
  • common moral currency
  • relies on future predictions doesn't think about the minority
• Can an ethical judgement about something being good, bad, right or wrong be based on the extent to which in any given situation utility is best served:

  • serving utility
  • rules could face dilemmas
  • could allow evil = slave trade
  • justifying horrendous acts for the pleasure of the many -> sadistic guards
  • justice, fairness, equality also matter
• Is it possible to measure good or pleasure and then reach a moral decision:

  • different pleasures + goods
  • MacIntyre --> suspicious of using notions of happiness can't be confident for future predictions
• Utilitarianism presumes too much foreknowledge perhaps