POL 004 Final Study Guide QUESTIONS &
ANSWERS BEST EXAM SOLUTION LATEST
UPDATE 2025/2026 RATED A+
what is Utilitarianism's goal? - CORRECT ANSWERS the greatest happiness of the
greatest number (GHP)
What did Jeremy Bentham say about actions? - CORRECT ANSWERS he said the GHP
should be the standard AND motive for every action of every individual
what is bantams simple aggregative principle? - CORRECT ANSWERS the interest of the
community is the sum of the interests of the community
what is the distinction between direct vs indirect utilitarianism? - CORRECT ANSWERS
the GHP is the standard and the motive in direct, where it is merely the standard for indirect
whats an example of indirect utilitarianism? - CORRECT ANSWERS Adam Smith's
economic invisible hand
whats the distinction between Act vs Rule Utilitarianism? - CORRECT ANSWERS act
chooses acts in order to maximize happiness, where rule chooses rules to maximize happiness and then
chooses acts that follow these rules
What if an act would (1) break a rule but (2) still maximize happiness, and why? - CORRECT ANSWERS
utilitarian rules are just rules of thumbs due to information constraints, so we should break the rule
what are the three claims of hedonistic utilitarianism - CORRECT ANSWERS 1. happiness
is just a matter of pleasure and pain. 2. all pleasures and pains are homogenous across all activities and
people. 3. thus thy can be treated as inputs in a felicific calculus
, what is the difference between non hedonistic as opposed to hedonistic utilitarianism? - CORRECT
ANSWERS non hedonistic utilitarianism rejects one or more of hedonistic utilitarianism
claims
what is the difference between total vs average utilitarianism and which leads to a larger population? -
CORRECT ANSWERS total seeks to maximize the total happiness in a population, where
average seeks to maximize the average happiness in a population. total leads to larger population
whats the difference between exoteric vs esoteric utilitarianism? - CORRECT ANSWERS
exoteric is publicly knowable and known, where esoteric is secret or hidden, like plato's noble lies
what is a teleological moral theory? - CORRECT ANSWERS the good is defined
independently from the right, and then the right is defined as that which maximizes the good
what does mill believe about moral theories? - CORRECT ANSWERS they should be
teleological, meaning that all action must be to an end, and all rules of action must take their whole
character from this end
how does Mill initially define the GHP and who does he appear to sound similar to? - CORRECT
ANSWERS actions that promote happiness, or pleasure are right, and actions that
promote pain are wrong, appearing to sound similar to Bentham
what are the three components of Orthodox Benthamite Utilitarianism? - CORRECT ANSWERS
hedonist, direct, and act
what are the two key features of qualitative hedonism? - CORRECT ANSWERS 1.
absolute priority of higher over lower pleasures 2. competent judges to rank these types
according to Mill what pleasures are a priority, which are not, and what does it mean to say they are
absolute? - CORRECT ANSWERS pleasures of the intellect, feelings, imagination, and
ANSWERS BEST EXAM SOLUTION LATEST
UPDATE 2025/2026 RATED A+
what is Utilitarianism's goal? - CORRECT ANSWERS the greatest happiness of the
greatest number (GHP)
What did Jeremy Bentham say about actions? - CORRECT ANSWERS he said the GHP
should be the standard AND motive for every action of every individual
what is bantams simple aggregative principle? - CORRECT ANSWERS the interest of the
community is the sum of the interests of the community
what is the distinction between direct vs indirect utilitarianism? - CORRECT ANSWERS
the GHP is the standard and the motive in direct, where it is merely the standard for indirect
whats an example of indirect utilitarianism? - CORRECT ANSWERS Adam Smith's
economic invisible hand
whats the distinction between Act vs Rule Utilitarianism? - CORRECT ANSWERS act
chooses acts in order to maximize happiness, where rule chooses rules to maximize happiness and then
chooses acts that follow these rules
What if an act would (1) break a rule but (2) still maximize happiness, and why? - CORRECT ANSWERS
utilitarian rules are just rules of thumbs due to information constraints, so we should break the rule
what are the three claims of hedonistic utilitarianism - CORRECT ANSWERS 1. happiness
is just a matter of pleasure and pain. 2. all pleasures and pains are homogenous across all activities and
people. 3. thus thy can be treated as inputs in a felicific calculus
, what is the difference between non hedonistic as opposed to hedonistic utilitarianism? - CORRECT
ANSWERS non hedonistic utilitarianism rejects one or more of hedonistic utilitarianism
claims
what is the difference between total vs average utilitarianism and which leads to a larger population? -
CORRECT ANSWERS total seeks to maximize the total happiness in a population, where
average seeks to maximize the average happiness in a population. total leads to larger population
whats the difference between exoteric vs esoteric utilitarianism? - CORRECT ANSWERS
exoteric is publicly knowable and known, where esoteric is secret or hidden, like plato's noble lies
what is a teleological moral theory? - CORRECT ANSWERS the good is defined
independently from the right, and then the right is defined as that which maximizes the good
what does mill believe about moral theories? - CORRECT ANSWERS they should be
teleological, meaning that all action must be to an end, and all rules of action must take their whole
character from this end
how does Mill initially define the GHP and who does he appear to sound similar to? - CORRECT
ANSWERS actions that promote happiness, or pleasure are right, and actions that
promote pain are wrong, appearing to sound similar to Bentham
what are the three components of Orthodox Benthamite Utilitarianism? - CORRECT ANSWERS
hedonist, direct, and act
what are the two key features of qualitative hedonism? - CORRECT ANSWERS 1.
absolute priority of higher over lower pleasures 2. competent judges to rank these types
according to Mill what pleasures are a priority, which are not, and what does it mean to say they are
absolute? - CORRECT ANSWERS pleasures of the intellect, feelings, imagination, and
