Lecture 1 Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is the distinctive feature of Utilitarianism?
An instruction to maximise utility, so giving equal weight to each individuals utility
What are the 3 types of utility?
Welfare hedonism
Non-hedonistic mental-state utility
Preference Satisfaction
What is one of the key positives of consequentialism?
It prevents arbitrary moral prohibitions
What are the two parts that utilitarianism can be broken down into?
An account of human welfare or utility
An instruction to maximise utility, so defined giving equal weight to each person’s utility
What underlines the principle of Welfare Hedonism?
The view that the experience or sensation of pleasure is the chief human good
Why can it be argued that the hedonistic account of utility is wrong?
The things worth doing and having in life are not all reducible to a single mental state such as happiness
What underlines the idea of Non-hedonistic mental-state utility?
The idea that Utilitarianism is concerned with all valuable experiences, whatever form they take.
What is Nozick’s argument against Welfare Hedonism and Non-Hedonistic mental-state utility?
The pleasure machine argument. That is, if we were offered to be hooked up to a machine that essentially drugged Happiness, many would still rather live life as it is than
What is Nozick’s argument against Welfare Hedonism and Non-Hedonistic mental-state utility?
The pleasure machine argument. That is, if we were offered to be hooked up to a machine that essentially drugged Happiness, many would still rather live life, rather than give it up, even for guaranteed happiness
What underlines Preference satisfaction theory of utilitarianism?
The idea that increasing people’s utility means satisfying their preferences.
What is the issue with Preference satisfaction theory?
Preferences do not define our good but more are predictions about our good
What is the 4th account of utility?
Informed Preference Theory. It defines welfare as the satisfaction of “rational” or “informed” preferences
What is consequentialism?
The notion that it is the outcomes of our actions that matter the most in moral analysis, not the actions themselves, nor the motivations.
What do hedonists believe?
That what defines a successful life is the amount of pleasure experienced in said life
Why is Bentham’s theory consequentialist?
Because the moral value of an action or event is determined entirely by the outcome, or consequences of said event.
What is the difference between a normative and a descriptive theory?
Descriptive theory tells us how the world actually is, whereas a normative theory tells us how it ought to be
Which Greek philosopher was effectively the father of hedonism?
Epicurus
What did Bentham suggest that the measure of right and wrong is?
The extent to which an action produces the greatest number of good for the greatest number of people
Why is Bentham’s theory of pleasure impartial?
The theory doesn’t give special preference regarding which people are entitled to receive pleasure
How did Bentham address the problem of calculation?
By creating the hedonic calculus
What are the 7 ways of assessing possible pleasure via the Hedonic Calculus?
- Intensity
- Duration
- Certainty
- Remoteness (i.e. how far into the future the pleasure is)
- Fecundity (how likely it is that pleasure will generate other related pleasures)
- Purity (i.e if any pain will be felt alongside the pleasure)
- Extent (i.e How many people might be able to share in that pleasure)
What does hedon refer to?
One unit of pleasure
What does dolor refer to?
One unit of pain
What is deontology?
Deontology is a theory that suggests good or bad according to a clear set of rules
