Utilitarianism, Hedonic Calculus and the Trolley Problem

Question 1

What is the motto of Utilitarianism?

Answer 1

‘The greatest good for the greatest number’

Question 2

Describe briefly what the trolley problem is about.

Answer 2

Imagine a trolley is coming onto a track with five people tied onto it (who will eventually die if they are ran over). You can pull a lever, actively killing one person instead.

Question 3

What is the Hedonic Calculus?

Answer 3

A method to ‘mesure’ happiness

Question 4

Name one pro of the Hedonic Calculus

Answer 4

When hard problems come, this is a way of seeing through

Question 5

Name one con of the Hedonic Calculus

Answer 5

You cannot put a ‘grade’ or ‘score’ on happiness really as it is a feeling.

Question 6

Name a strength of utilitarianism

Answer 6

Everyone is only ‘worth’ 1

Question 7

Name a weakness of utilitarianism

Answer 7

Just because most people want this doesn’t mean it is morally right

Question 8

True or false: utilitarianism looks at the consequence of an action - if the action looks bad but has a good consequence, thats acceptable.

Answer 8

True - utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of any actions, good or bad (optional)

Question 9

Name two factors used in the Hedonic Calculus to ‘mesure’ happiness

Answer 9

(Any two would work):
Purity, Intensity, Duration, Extent, Remoteness, Certainty, To be followed by…

Question 10

Who developed Utilitarianism?

Answer 10

Jeremy Bentham