Utilitarianism

Question 0

Utility means

Answer 0

Usefull

Question 1

Principle of utility

Answer 1

“the greatest happiness for the greatest number”

Question 2

Governance of….

Answer 2

“two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure”

Question 3

Hedonic calculus - Criteria and explain

Answer 3

Intensity (strong)
Duration (long time/not)
Certainty (probability)
Extent (whole life/little bit)
Remoteness (how soon?)
Richness (Further happiness?)
Purity (Free from pain?)

Question 4

Bentham wanted…

Answer 4

quantity of happiness, not prioritising

Question 5

Mill made what pleasures

Answer 5

Higher (mind) and lower (body)

Question 6

Higher goals are

Answer 6

intellectual, cultural and spiritual

Question 7

Morality on…

Answer 7

beneficial (truth, beauty, love and friendship) not desirable

Question 8

Aimed to relate to

Answer 8

Christian “love thy neighbour” ethic

“The ideal perfection of Christian morality”

Question 9

Rules based on..

Answer 9

past experiences

Question 10

Types of rule

Answer 10

Strong and weak

Question 11

Mill may be a

Answer 11

weak rule utilitarian

Question 12

Strengths/weaknesses

Answer 12

Pragmatic and sensible in that it concentrates on “real effects” (consequences)
Happiness is what “we all value”
Simple to follow “straightforward” “clear principle”
Calculated by hedonic calculus (empirically judged)

“It is often hard to know what consequences will result from an action”
Happiness is subjective
Doesn’t consider “special relationships’
Impractical calculus for emergency situations (mugged)

Question 13

An adequate basis for moral decisions

Answer 13

Principle of utility discourages selfish behaviour “can require considerable self-sacrifice”
Flexible (circumstances) - “no rigid rules”
Democracy in the UK is derived from the principle of utility
Happiness is important and universal (“popular support”)
Straight forward - no special wisdom/reason, use calculus

Majority power (KKK, mob)
Sole happiness ignores love, God’s will, etc.
No ‘human rights’ - Bentham said they were “nonsense” and so slavery may be allowed
Subjective happiness
Impractical (mugging)
o

Question 14

Promotes injustice/morally wrong behaviour

Answer 14

No moral absolutes - Do not kill should always be true (could justify wrong acts)
Subjective happiness
Majority power
“It is often hard to know what consequences will result from an action”
People will always put special relationships first

Act takes situation in to account
Hedonic calculus ensures everyone’s happiness is considered
Everyone is equal
Consequences mean people think about acts
Rule means similar actions are treated same way

Question 15

Works in society

Answer 15

Pragmatic and sensible (“real effects”)
Calculus - empirically judged
Flexible relativistic “no rigid rules”
Consequences mean people think more

Intrinsically wrong sometimes
No motivation (charity eg)
Subjective happiness
Can’t predict consequences

Question 16

Compatible with religion

Answer 16

Jesus’s death - principle of utility
Ultimate goal is happiness - religion is based on making people happy by enabling them to develop a relationship with God
Mill believed it caught the spirit of the golden Christian rule
Strong rule Utilitarians absolute (ten commandments)

God is eternal law - We can’t decide what happiness is
Agape love doesn’t accept minority suffering
Ten Commandments are coincidence linked to utilitarian principle - not true in reality
Catholic (some acts are intrinsically wrong)