Utilitarianism Flashcards
The influence of the industrial revolution
Bentham was a philosopher at the start of the industrial revolution. People had moved from the countryside and into the cities and were living in appalling conditions. People were starting to realise that the poor are equal to the rich, causing a massive shift in belief as it was believed that God made people King.
Jeremy Bentham said….
we shouldn’t rely on the bible or tradition, we have to decide what is right and wrong using science.
All we are sure about is that we dislike pain and prefer pleasure
“each is to count for one,” he is a egalitarian
what is an Egalitarian?
somebody who believes that everybody is of equal worth
What is the hedonic calculus?
The method of working out what will cause the most amount of happiness.
Duration- how long will it last? Intensity- is it intense? propinquity-how close it is to me? extent-will it affect others? certainty- is the happiness definite? Purity- is it tainted with other considerations fecundity-might it breed more happiness
As animals feel pleasure and pain they are included in the hedonic calculus.
Give a short summary of Bentham’s utilitarianism
Bentham believed that acts that maximise pleasure and minimise pain are the most moral. It is a relativist and consequentialist theory and therefore flexible. What is right and wrong depend on the circumstances and the intended outcome. It is an Egalitarian theory. To help us choose the right thing to Bentham provided the hedonic calculus.
John Stuart Mill said….
John Stuart Mill said that it is “ better to be Socrates satisfied than a fool satisfied.” or “better to be a human satisfied than a pig satisfied.”
What is the Tyranny of The Majority (Mill)
The majority are controlling the minority
Give a brief summary of John Stuart Mills approach to utilitarianism
Mill theorised that happiness was of a greater importance than pleasure. He also said “ Some kinds of pleasures are more desirable and more valuable than others, it would be absurd that while, in estimating all other things, quality is not is not also considered as well as quantity.
Describe act utilitarianism
Every case is judged on that particular set of circumstances. It recognises that hedonic calculations will be different depending on the individuals involved.
Describe rule utilitarianism
Can be a personal rule – e.g. Lying causes more grief than telling the truth so I will never lie
We can also base laws for society on rule utilitarianism – e.g. if abortion remains illegal then more women will suffer by having back street abortions. Abortion must therefore be made legal under certain conditions . . .
