Lecture 2

Question 1

what are some characteristics we are expecting from ethical theories and ethical arguments

Answer 1

consistency, the use of correct principles, the correct application of principles

Question 2

what is consistency

Answer 2

“we should treat to creatures the same unless they are relatively different, different in ways that justify treating them differently

Question 3

what can consistency be used for

Answer 3

to criticize or defend a theory/argument

Question 4

what is the use of correct principes

Answer 4

‘it is not enough to be constant. We must also employ the appropriate guidelines, principles, standards, or make the appropriate judgments’

Question 5

what is the correct application of principles

Answer 5

applying to correct principles

Question 6

what are the 2 theses of arguments

Answer 6

moral subjectivism and moral relativism

Question 7

what is moral subjectivism

Answer 7

Makes ethical judgment depends on the approval or disapproval of the person making the judgment

Question 8

what is wrong with moral subjectivism

Answer 8

argument is pointless, no position is better or stronger

Question 9

what is moral relativism

Answer 9

the idea that ethics is relative to the society one happens to live in; says that moral veiws depend on society

Question 10

what is wrong with moral relativism

Answer 10

argument is pointless, cannot account for the non-conformist

Question 11

what are obligatory actions

Answer 11

These are actions we ought, morally, to do; they are morally required and not optional

Question 12

what are supererogatory actions

Answer 12

These are actions that are good, but not obligatory;

going into a fire to save someone is good but no one expects you to do it

Question 13

what is neutral actions

Answer 13

nether good or bad

Question 14

what is suberogatory actions

Answer 14

these are actions theatre bad, but not forbidden; e.g., not giving your seat in the subway; the principle is that you hace arrived first do you have the right to sit, but if the elderly arrives you should give your seat but if you dont it isnt forbidden, but it is a wrong action still

Question 15

what are permissible actions

Answer 15

all except for forbidden actions

Question 16

what are forbidden actions

Answer 16

these are wrong; these are actions that one is morally required not to do

Question 17

what is intrinsic values

Answer 17

pursuing something for itself nd nothing else

pursuing happiness just to pursue happiness is an example

Question 18

what is instrumental values

Answer 18

to pursue something in order to gain something else

Money is an example; you pursue money in order to do something else

Question 19

is knowledge intrinsic or instrumental

Answer 19

some actions are both; knowledge is an example— some pursue it instrumentally in order to get better job, others pursue knowledge just to have knowledge

Question 20

who was bentham

Answer 20

was ahead of his time (views and smartness)
defended homosexuality and animal rights
philosopher and architect

Question 21

what did bentham want to do

Answer 21

Wanted to reform the prison system

many countries use his model in modern day

Question 22

what is bentham known for

Answer 22

known for his ethics; Utilitarianism

Question 23

what is Utilitarianism based on

Answer 23

based on a value theory; Hedonism

Question 24

what is Hedonism

Answer 24

says that there is just one intrinsic good (pleasure/happiness)

Question 25

what is the basis of utilitarianism

Answer 25

says that an action is right when it increases the good, which is in this case pleasure, for the greatest number of people

Question 26

how are good and right intertwined

Answer 26

we are in a way deriving what is right and what is good, right is derived from what is good, so “right” is actually secondary

Question 27

why is it right to give to charity?

Answer 27

consequence of action increases happiness/pleasure

Question 28

why is lying wrong?

Answer 28

Creates pain/sadness— when you find out I lied you will be in pain and will be sad. But if lying promotes happiness, it would not be a wrong action

Question 29

what is the prof of utilitarianism

Answer 29

no proof of benefit of utility (says Bentham) say we just always use it, when we evaluate other people we use it it just cannot be proved

Question 30

what did mill do

Answer 30

tried to prove the principle of utility

Question 31

only thing that matters when we evaluate an action is what

Answer 31

the act itself, not the motive even if the motive is selfish, it doesn’t matter for utilitarianism, it just matters weather the action itself was good or bad

Question 32

what does mill argue

Answer 32

the motive of the actions matters not when we evaluate the actions but when we evaluate the agent

Question 33

who proposes a way to measure the actions

Answer 33

bentham

Question 34

how does bentham say we measure the action

Answer 34

3 steps

Question 35

what are the 3 steps

Answer 35

1. evaluate the immediate consequence of the actions (if helping friend(s), mist consider if this causes pleasure or pain to friend immediately) 2. Propensity; purity 3. If other people are impacted by your pleasure

Question 36

what is involved in evaluate the immediate consequence of the actions (if helping friend(s), mist consider if this causes pleasure or pain to friend immediately)

Answer 36

intensity duration certainty/uncertainty perpiquinty (closeness)/remoteness (this matters because the closer it is in time, the closer your pleasure is, the more chance you have to get pleasure in the future)

Question 37

is bantams evaluation qualitative or quantitative

Answer 37

quantitative

Question 38

what is Propensity; purity

Answer 38

maybe you are happy and it makes you happy for the rest of your day chances that it may cause pain? eating a cake may feel bad/pain even though you enjoyed it to begin with…. so it is not a pure pleasure

Question 39

what does mill say about evaluating the actions

Answer 39

Mill says we should use shortcuts because Bentham’s is just so long secondary principles; don’t kill someone, thats wrong (this was said in passing don’t worry too much)

Question 40

what do both bentham and miss agree on in terms of evaluating the actions

Answer 40

when evaluating actions, consider the pleasure it will cause to yourself and others

Question 41

does utilitarianism considered everyones pleasure different

Answer 41

Utilitarianism considers everyones pleasure equal if you had a choice between helping friend and 2 strangers, you should help 2 strangers because it generates more happiness in the world this is criticized because it cannot account for relationships and duties that we have; seems also that utilitarianism are too demanding— says that my pleasure is not more important thank yours if I have to decide between buying new shoes or giving to charity, charity is the right thing to do

Question 42

who was mill

Answer 42

student of bentham

Question 43

what is the criticism of utilitarianism

Answer 43

Utilitarianism is a “swine mortality”

Question 44

what is “swine mortality”

Answer 44

the idea that the end of the life of a pig is to pursue pleasure and similarly utilitarianism says that the end of a human’s life is just to pursue pleasure people say that people should hope to pursue more than just pleasure

Question 45

how did mill respond to the criticism

Answer 45

Mill response to criticism; distinguishes between different types of pleasure

Question 46

what are the different types of pleasure

Answer 46

body and mental

Question 47

what should we pursue, bodily or mental pleasures

Answer 47

mental and bodily pleasures; our end goal is mental pleasures and in the duration we have bodily pleasures— claim is that mental pleasures are greater in quantity (this is a quantitative measure) if you say they are greater in quality, obviously you should pursue them because it will give most amount of pleasure

Question 48

how does milll suggest we pursue mental pleasures

Answer 48

1. greater permanence of mental pleasure 2. Costliness of pleasure; 3. mental pleasures are safer;

Question 49

what is greater permanence of mental pleasure

Answer 49

(the duration of it), suggests that mental pleasures have greater length (reading and music can be done for hours) and opposed to that, bodily pleasure are less important (eat a cake give pleasure for 5-10 minutes as you eat, but later feel not pleasure)

Question 50

what is Costliness of pleasure

Answer 50

mental pleasures are not costly (pleasure from music and reading is not costly, will not be any pain after reading of listening to music), but fi you eat a cake for an hour you will feel in pain after that. Bodily pleasures are more costly.

Question 51

what is mental pleasures are safer

Answer 51

has to do with fact that mental pleasures are associated with knowledge, knowledge is peaceful but bodily pleasure are associated with money and stuff so people will fight for it and cause harm (prof isn’t too sure what is meant by this actually)

Question 52

does mill agree with bentham that there is just a quantitative evaluation/distinction

Answer 52

Mill is actually rejecting this view and says that there is actually a qualitative distinction between bodily and mental pleasures; continued on next lecture