Chapter 3 Bentham

Question 1

utilitarianism

Answer 1

good actions produce pleasure and happiness and minimize pain or suffering

Question 2

spirit of scientific objectivity

Answer 2

Bentham believed ethical questions could be answered this way

Question 3

Jeremy Bentham

Answer 3

utilitarian philosopher

Question 4

principle of utility

Answer 4

Bentham’s objective basis for morality; good actions increase happiness and bad actions cause pain and unhappiness; utility = benefit, advantage, goodness, pleasure and happiness; disutility = mischief, pain, evil, suffering, unhappiness

Question 5

consequentialism

Answer 5

the effect of an action that establishes its moral worth

Question 6

psychological egoism

Answer 6

human nature for us to seek pleasure and avoid pain; psychological theory

Question 7

ethical egoism

Answer 7

that one ought to pursue pleasure; moral theory

Question 8

is-ought fallacy

Answer 8

to argue that one should do something simply because that is the way things are

Question 9

sanctions

Answer 9

source of pain and pleasure that gives binding force to laws and rules of conduct

Question 10

physical sanctions

Answer 10

laws of nature; ie. jump off building and suffer the consequences, so we won’t jump

Question 11

moral sanctions

Answer 11

to spare ourselves mental pain, embarrassment or loneliness, we go along with crowd and conform to expectations of others

Question 12

religious sanctions

Answer 12

doing what’s right according to their religion

Question 13

political sanctions

Answer 13

fines, penalties, and jail as determined by legal system

Question 14

private ethics

Answer 14

duties to oneself, sexual conduct, and prudence; beyond the proper scope of law

Question 15

inefficacious

Answer 15

does not work

Question 16

hedonic calculus

Answer 16

calculation of pleasure or hedonic consequences; similar to cost-benefit analysis; 7 criteria

Question 17

intensity

Answer 17

how strong the pleasure of satisfaction

Question 18

duration

Answer 18

how long will last

Question 19

certainty

Answer 19

how likely or unlikely will pleasure result

Question 20

propinquity

Answer 20

how soon pleasure occur

Question 21

fecundity

Answer 21

will action produce more pleasure in the future

Question 22

purity

Answer 22

any pain come with the action; some bad with the good

Question 23

extent

Answer 23

how many others affected

Question 24

How did Bentham approach the study of morality?

Answer 24

spirit of objectivity; rejected tradition, aristocratic privilege, and religion as legit bases for moral systems of thought; used English laws and legislation

Question 25

How does Bentham view punishment?

Answer 25

not in favor of retribution; only use as a necessary evil to prevent a greater evil

Question 26

When should one not punish?

Answer 26

when it is groundless, inefficacious, unprofitable and needless

Question 27

What considerations should be taken into account when punishing?

Answer 27

must outweigh the profit of offense; great offenses given greater punishments; punishment for same crime should be meted our fairly and consistently; should not exceed the bare minimum required to be effective; crimes with little risk of being caught should be given srticter punishments