Utilitarianism - Evaluations

Question 1

8 strengths of Act Utilitarianism:
1. Appeals to human ____ - it is intuitive that we naturally ____ actions that are good
2. Gives clear moral ____
3. Actions do have effects so we should consider ____
4. It is not ____ - can take circumstances into account.
5. It is fair, no one is a ____ - challenges elitism and ____ where the majority are disregarded by the few privileged.
6. It is ____ (non-religious)
7. Has some common grounds with ____ Ethics - seeking to do good, Jesus acted with utility when he died to redeem all of humanity (our ____>His pain)
8. Allows for different societies and ____ to use it in their own way as it isn’t absolute

Answer 1

nature, consider, guidelines, consequences, absolute, priority, aristocracy, secular, Christian, pleasure, cultures

Question 2

5 weaknesses of Act Utilitarianism.
1. ____ calculus - ____, doesn’t consider qualities of pain and pleasure, how can you ____ pleasure?
2. ____ - some are unforseen or are predicted but don’t actually happen
3. Could makes some ____ actions (e.g. lying, adultery or murder) morally acceptable
4. ____ rights can be overlooked (e.g. imprisoning someone innocent may bring peace of mind and pleasure to a community)
5. Don’t allow for personal ____ (e.g. saving your dad over a doctor who can cure cancer)

Answer 2

Hedonic, impractical, Consequences, wrong, Individual, responsibilities

Question 3

3 strengths of Rule Utilitarianism.
1. Avoids use of ____ ____, just simply apply rule! Rules can be selected applied and replaced on the basis of their utility so the ____ of ____ still remains the ultimate standard.
2. Respects people’s ____ and ____ … people can pursue their own interests in society without harming others ( ____ principle) and so long as they stick to rules.
3. Avoids justifying ____ actions as it includes ____ rules and argues for quality not quantity. Therefore pleasure from ____ or abuse etc can never be justified in rule utilitarianism.

Answer 3

hedonic calculus, principle, utility, liberties, rights, harm, immoral, blanket, paedophilia

Question 4

4 weaknesses of Rule Utilitarianism.
1. ____ and ____ pleasures are hard to define and separate.
2. Mills argues for ____ judges as people who are experienced in both pleasures and can justify that some pleasures are higher…this makes his theory ____ as people who are poor may not have access to Mill’s higher pleasures.
3. Contradiction between ____ element of utilitarianism and rule following. Do we abide by rules even if in a situation the consequences will not produce pleasure? Following rules is a matter of duty and intention then, not consequences!
4. If in ____ rule utilitarianism you can ____ some rules and make ____, is it even a rule at all?

Answer 4

Higher, lower, competent, elitist, consequentialist, weak, break, exceptions

Question 5

How does the experience machine reject utilitarianism?

Answer 5

As it is hedonistic, utilitarianism is based on pleasure as the criterion of moral goodness so, should such a machine be available as Nozick’s imaginary experience machine, utilitarians would argue for it as it will promote pleasure and happiness.

However, Nozick advises against it as he recognises that there are other values that matter to our wellbeing as well as pleasure and happiness. Religious believers would even say self-sacrifice, suffering and unhappiness can sometimes have greater moral value as they allow you to grow and become closer to God.