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Relgion And Ethics > Utilitarianism > Flashcards

Utilitarianism Flashcards

1
Q

What type of theory is utilitarianism

A
  • teleological
  • concerned with consequences of an action
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2
Q

What is the claim of utilitarianism

A

The claim of utilitarianism is to provide one single principle which and can be applied to all ethical and moral dilemmas

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3
Q

Who is Jeremy Bentham

A

Seen as the father of modern utilitarianism
- believed we can explain human nature as we are psychological hedonists -> seek our own pleasure

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4
Q

How does the hedonist claim link to utilitarianism

A
  • the hedonist idea that we are pleasure seeking creatures means that the good is maximising pleausre and minimising palin
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5
Q

What is the principle of utility

A

“Seek the greatest balance of good over evil”

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6
Q

What is Bentham quote for the principle of utility

A

“ create all the happiness that you can create, remove all the misery you are able to remove”

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7
Q

What is a problem with the principle of utility

A
  • the principle of utility needs to supplemented with a universal idea of what “good” is
  • good is different for many people. E.g Benthams good is pleasure and mills good is happiness
  • good for a serial killer is much different to the good of a charity worker
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8
Q

What is the hedonic calculus

A

A system created by Bentham which can help us decide whether an act should be conducted or not

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9
Q

What are the 7 criteria of the hedonic calculus

A
  • intensity
  • duration
  • certainty
  • propinquity
  • purity
  • extent
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10
Q

What was benthams aim with the hedonic calculus

A

To reduce moral decisions to something which can be calculated

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11
Q

What is a problem with the hedonic calculus

A
  • there are too many variables when calculating pleasure
  • if someone loves chocolate and they were to eat one chocolate, say if one chocolate was worth 10 pleasure points by extension this would mean that by eating 10 chocolates a person will get 10x the pleasure
  • in reality this is not true as even the most avid chocolate eaters would start to feel sickly after a whole
  • furthermore some pleasures are more pleasure able at different times kf the day
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12
Q

What was mill unhappy with (benthams idea)

A
  • mills as unhappy with benthams idea that there are no types of pleasure rather what matters Is the amount of pleasure
  • mil argues that there are higher an lower pleasures
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13
Q

Mills quote supporting higher and lower pleasures

A

“ it is better to be a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied”

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14
Q

What is a problem with benthams form of utilitarianism

A
  • a probelm which occurs with benthams form of utilitarianism is that it has been attributed to the idea of “ the greatest good for the greatest number”
  • this is a mistake as it goes against the soul purpose of utilitarianism as it adds a second principle.
  • the first principle is to do good, this idea brings in the principle of justice, good needs to be done and needs to be distributed
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15
Q

What is act utilitarianism

A
  • act utilitarianism is benthams form of utilitarianism
  • it argues that we should do the act which leads it the Greta test balance of good over pleasure, to do this we should use the hedonic calculus to calculate which act should be done
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16
Q

What is a problem with act utilitarianism

A
  • a problem with act utilitarianism is that not everyone has the time or information to calculate the right act
  • some people may have the information but lack intellectual ability to make a calculation
  • an example is children, it makes no sense to say to a child, “before you put your finger in that socket, calculate whether it will lead to the greatest pleasure
17
Q

What is rule utilitarianism

A
  • mills argues that react utilitarianism allows for rules to be broken
  • therefore he endorses the idea of ruke utilitarianism
  • rule utilitarianism argues that we should follow the rule which leads to the greatest balance of good over evil
18
Q

What does mills argue (lp)

A
  • Mills argues that if his liberty principle is followed correctly, it will always lead to the gretatetsbamount fo general happiness
  • even though some people will abuse their liberty and die, the needs of the general good outweigh my own problems with alcohol
19
Q

What is a probelm which occurs with rule utilitarianism

A
  • a problem with rule utilitarianmsmis that it seems to put preservation of the rule over individual need
  • in the case of mills liberty principle, he is reluctant to prevent self harm simple becuase the rule of maximising liberty should be adhered to for Greta test general happiness
20
Q

What is mills example of opium

A

Mills uses the example of restricting opium into China
- he aregues if we restart it freedom in these matters, the liberty principle is at risk
- teh chance of propel dying due to an opium overdose is insignificant compared to people being unable to be as free as possible

21
Q

What to critics argue about mills opium example

A
  • this is a case of instrumentalism
  • the rule doesn’t exist for my own good but rather my misused liberty is an instrument for preserving the rule
  • kant would argue this is wrong due the 2nd categorical imperative, principle fo priority of ends
22
Q

What is the pRoblem of rules for rule utilitarianism

A
  • rule utilitarianism permits the construction of more than one rule
  • the minute we permit more than one rule, we increase the likelihood of a clash of rules
  • reintroducing problems utilitarianism was created to avoid
23
Q

What did Peter singer believe we need to do

A

Peter singer believe we need to strictly and unemotionally apply the principles of utilitarianism
- utilitarianism also needs to recognise universal quality, weighing up the needs and preferences of others as well as your own

24
Q

What is preference utilitarianism

A
  • preference utilitarianism holds that we should seek the good that we rationally prefer as an outcome even if it doesn’t satisfy us
  • an example is altruism
25
Q

What example does Peter singer use to show preference utilitarianism

A

The example of altruism
- I may prefer the outcomes of altruism for the world as it leads to the best rational outcomes even though I do not want to give what’s mine to others

26
Q

Quote for universal quality

A

“ ethical judgements should be made from a universal point of view” - Peter singer practical ethics

27
Q

What si improtant for singer

A
  • for singer what is important is minimising suffering,
    Singer uses the example of aborting a baby with a 50z chance of haemophilia, if the baby is born it is most likely going to die, if it is born without baby is fine
  • doesn’t see a point in snorting
  • argues we should kill the baby if it has the disease after it is brim to minimise suffering
28
Q

What si a probelm

A
  • rejection of natural rights and the sacredness of human life
29
Q

What are some strengths of tiltirainism

A
  • secular moral theory, can be applied by all people regardless of their religious faith. This means it is easy to apply and can help people
  • general principles are sick -> increasing happiness and pleasure
30
Q

What are some weaknesses of utilitarianism

A
  • cannot be applied by all people -> Christian’s cannot apply utilitarianism due to its rejection of natural rights and Peter singers example fo killing a baby, it seems to reject the sanctity of life principle sacredness of human life
  • needs to be defined
  • also allows evil to be permitted in the world -> is this truly a moral theory??

Relgion And Ethics (5 decks)

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