Mill, Consequentialism, Utilitarianism

Question 1

What is a necessary condition?

Answer 1

A condition that must be met for something to occur or be the case.

Necessary conditions are essential for achieving a particular outcome.

Question 2

What is a sufficient condition?

Answer 2

A condition that, if met, guarantees that something will occur or be the case.

Sufficient conditions can independently achieve the desired outcome.

Question 3

What are the two branches of ethics?

Answer 3

• Theory of the good
• Theory of the right

The theory of the good focuses on well-being, while the theory of the right focuses on moral actions.

Question 4

What does the theory of the good address?

Answer 4

What makes a person or a society well-off or poorly-off.

It considers what is good for individuals or communities.

Question 5

What does the theory of the right address?

Answer 5

What makes an action morally right or morally wrong.

This theory evaluates the morality of actions.

Question 6

What is normative ethics?

Answer 6

The theory of the right in ethics, concerning what should be done.

Normative ethics focuses on prescribing actions rather than merely describing them.

Question 7

What does ‘normative’ mean?

Answer 7

Of or relating to what should be, or what someone should do.

It contrasts with descriptive claims, which state how things actually are.

Question 8

What are the categories considered in normative ethics?

Answer 8

• Impermissible actions
• Permitted actions
• Mandatory actions
• Supererogatory actions

These categories help classify actions based on their moral standing.

Question 9

What is consequentialism?

Answer 9

A theory in normative ethics that determines the rightness or wrongness of an action based on its consequences.

Consequentialists believe outcomes are the sole factor in moral evaluation.

Question 10

What is the simplest version of consequentialism?

Answer 10

An action is right if it brings about the best consequences; other actions are wrong.

Question 11

Are most versions of consequentialism impartial?

Answer 11

Yes, they take everyone into consideration.

Question 12

What determines what the best consequences are in consequentialism?

Answer 12

One’s theory of the good.

Question 13

What is the most popular version of consequentialism?

Answer 13

Utilitarianism.

Question 14

What two concepts does utilitarianism pair together?

Answer 14

• Consequentialism about the right
• Hedonism about the good

Question 15

What does consequentialism capture?

Answer 15

Many intuitions about right and wrong.

Question 16

What is a possible problem for consequentialism regarding individual rights?

Answer 16

It may fail to respect individual rights.

Question 17

What is one way consequentialism may be too demanding?

Answer 17

It might require giving away nearly all of one’s money to charity.

Question 18

How might consequentialism affect a person’s integrity?

Answer 18

It may make a person a mere functionary of the consequentialist calculus.

Question 19

According to utilitarianism, what is the right action?

Answer 19

The action that brings about the most pleasure or the least pain overall.

Question 20

What odd implication does utilitarianism have?

Answer 20

It could justify actions that increase the pleasure of a ‘pleasure monster’ at the expense of others.

Question 21

Who is a notable proponent of utilitarianism?

Answer 21

Mill.

Question 22

Fill in the blank: Utilitarianism is a theory that pairs _______ about the right and hedonism about the good.

Answer 22

consequentialism

Question 23

True or False: Utilitarianism considers only the happiness of the majority.

Answer 23

False

Question 24

What does Mill argue about all good and bad?

Answer 24

All good and bad, all value and disvalue, ultimately comes down to pleasure and pain.

Question 25

What is one of Mill's major innovations in philosophy?

Answer 25

His sophisticated hedonist theory.

Question 26

What do Mill's opponents claim about hedonism?

Answer 26

Hedonism is a view fit only for pigs.

Question 27

What does quantitative hedonism hold?

Answer 27

Pleasure is determined by just two factors: intensity and duration.

Question 28

What odd result does quantitative hedonism lead to regarding life?

Answer 28

A very long life with just an extremely low amount of pleasure can be a very good life.

Question 29

What is another odd result of quantitative hedonism?

Answer 29

A life that is miserable except for one instant of extreme pleasure can be a very good life.

Question 30

What is a deeper problem for quantitative hedonism?

Answer 30

It doesn't seem to capture the richness of human life.

Question 31

What is Mill's version of hedonism called?

Answer 31

Qualitative hedonism.

Question 32

How does Mill differentiate between pleasures?

Answer 32

Some pleasures are qualitatively different, or different in kind, not just in degree.

Question 33

What are lower pleasures according to Mill?

Answer 33

Pleasures of 'mere' sensation, such as those an animal might experience.

Question 34

What are higher pleasures according to Mill?

Answer 34

Pleasures that require development and exercise of a distinctively human capacity.

Question 35

Give an example of a higher pleasure.

Answer 35

Solving a math problem or listening to a symphony.

Question 36

What does it mean for a kind of pleasure to be higher than another?

Answer 36

No degree of intensity and/or duration of a lower pleasure will 'add up to or equal' a higher pleasure.

Question 37

Fill in the blank: Mill holds that some pleasures are ______ than others.

Answer 37

higher

Question 38

What is the difference in quality of pleasures according to Mill?

Answer 38

One pleasure is more valuable if almost all who experience both prefer it, irrespective of moral obligation.

Question 39

What does Mill suggest about pleasures that are preferred despite greater discontent?

Answer 39

The preferred enjoyment has a superiority in quality that outweighs quantity.

Question 40

What view underlies Mill's hedonism?

Answer 40

The development of distinctively human capacities allows for experiencing the highest pleasures.

Question 41

What is the principle of utility according to Mill?

Answer 41

Happiness is desirable as an end, and all other things are desirable only as means to that end.

Question 42

What proof does Mill provide for the principle of utility?

Answer 42

The only proof that something is desirable is that people actually desire it.

Question 43

Fill in the blank: The only evidence that an object is visible is that people ______ it.

Answer 43

see

Question 44

Fill in the blank: According to Mill, the general happiness is desirable because each person desires his own ______.

Answer 44

happiness

Question 45

True or False: Mill believes that happiness is the only thing that is desirable as an end.

Answer 45

True

Question 46

What condition must the utilitarian doctrine fulfill to be believed?

Answer 46

It must be acknowledged that happiness is an end in theory and practice.

Question 47

How does Mill argue that general happiness is a good?

Answer 47

Each person's happiness is a good to that person, making general happiness a good for all.