Summary UTILITARIANISM NOTES AND EVALUATION

UTILITITARIANISM
Utilitarianism as Normative Ethical Theory
 Teleological: based on outcome
 Relative: no absolute idea of right and wrong
 Consequential: the consequences decide the right or wrong
 Hedonistic: pursuit of pleasure, which is “good”
 Tied to social reform
The ethical theory that pursues to maximize the greatest amount of
good amongst the greatest number
Principle of Utility
 The greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number- Francis
Hutchenson
 The action with the most pleasure is the most moral
Jeremy Bentham
 Influenced by Thomas Hobbes and the social inequality during the
British Civil War
 Believed human beings are motivated by self-interest
 “sovereign masters of pain and pleasure”
 Act Utilitarian
 Hedonist- Pleasure is the highest good
 Maximizing pleasure for a majority
Hedonism
 Intrinsic well-being, pleasure for one is always good, regardless of
context and other factors
 Pleasure = good pain= bad
 Roots with Epicurus
 Fred Feldman’s “Attitudinal Hedonism”- psychological responses to
pleasure differ from person to person
Nozick’s Experience Machine
 To opt for a simulated life full of pleasure over a real one
 Deduces that a good life does not completely depend on intrinsic
pleasure, but other factors
 Hedonism is false
Hedonic Calculus
 Quantitative variables to calculate the quantity of pleasure or pain
in the outcome
 PREDICT: Purity, Remoteness, Extent, Duration, Intensity,
Certainty and To be followed by what

, Criticisms of Hedonic Calculus
 Roger Crisp- the Oyster and Joseph Haydn
 Mill’s objection to quantifiable variables; too Impartial
 Not all pleasure is equal
 It is not a moral currency
 Too rigid and unworkable
Act Utilitarianism
 To consider acts individually
 Work out rules for each specific action and its outcome
 Calculate utility for these actions separately, non-collectivist
 Only one moral rule: maximize greatest number of happiness
 Relative
 Quantitative
 Flexible
John Stuart Mill
 Student of Bentham, but called his views on hedonism “swine
philosophy”
 Social reformer and women’s rights activist
 Believed in personal liberty/autonomy
 Humans are smarter than other living creatures
 Promote happiness of everyone, rather than majority
 Qualitative rather than quantitative
Rule Utilitarianism
 Weak and Strong.
 Society should affirm moral rules to protect the weak and maintain
order
 Humans should always follow these rules
 Weak: In extreme circumstances, they can be broken
 Strong: Always be followed
 Democratic and ensures EVERYONE benefits
Higher/Lower Pleasures
 Higher: Intellectual/mental pleasures exclusive to humans
 Lower: Bodily pleasures available to all
 We are better as we can experience intellectual pleasures, which
are more desirable to humans
 Competent judges decide if a pleasure is “higher” or “lower”
Preference Utilitarianism
 Peter Singer
 Prudential
 Maximum pleasure is decided by personal satisfaction