Lec 3: Singer’s utilitarianism, Kagan’s hierarchical approach, the deontological approach

Question 1

What are objections to hedonism?

Answer 1

hedonism doesn’t take into account anything besides pleasure and pain.

Question 2

what are objections to consequentialism?

Answer 2

the end justifies the mean

Question 3

what are objections to sum-total

Answer 3

• it is a LINEAR combination of people’s pleasure: not equal

- also, how do you measure someone’s pleasure??

Question 4

What are problems with Singer’s utilitarianism?

Answer 4

• if all animals are equal, relationships between animals should be symmetrical
• eradicating predators is justified

Question 5

What is Kagan approach?

Answer 5

A hierarchical approach to speciesism. All animals have intrinsic value, but now the same amount of it. Takes cognitive faculty into account.

Question 6

Why is John Stuart Mill a speciesist?

Answer 6

• believes there are different levels of pleasure, and pleasure derived from gaining knowledge exceeds pleasure felt by a pig.
• since utilitarianism is a measure of the greatest amount of pleasure, the right action is the one that favors humans.

Question 7

Kant does not believe that pleasure and pain are determinants of rightness and wrongness. Instead he believes that … determine the rightness and badness of an action.

Answer 7

the motivations behind an action

Question 8

What does Kant do?

Answer 8

systemize right and wrong

Question 9

Compare the Kantian and Utilitarian versions of morality

Answer 9

K: determined by your sense of duty

U: determined by pleasure and pain

Question 10

What does it mean to be free according to Kant and utilitarianism?

Answer 10

K: freedom is the ability to act from the sense of duty

U: to be free is to not have obstacles to your pleasure

Question 11

what is the reason behind action, according to Kant and utilitarianism?

Answer 11

K: duty

U: pleasure

Question 12

What are the 2 formulae of the universal law?

Answer 12

• THE formula of universal law: treat others like you want to be treated
• treat humanity as an end, never as a means

Question 13

Is kant a speciesist?

Answer 13

yes. believes that only humans have moral standing

Question 14

Compare Kant and Singer on the following points:

• intrinsic value
• moral standing
• good action
• bad action
• anthropocentric

Answer 14

intrinsic value
K: good will
S: pleasure

moral standing
K: humans
S: all sentient beings

good action
K: treats humans as ends in themselves
S: the one that maximizes pleasure

bad action
K: treats humans as a means to an end
S: doesn’t maximize pleasure

anthropocentric
K: yes
S: no