Utilitarianism
Consequentialism/Teleological Ethics:
• argues the moral value of a certain action is dependent on the
consequence/result of the action. thus a good action has a good
consequence and vice versa.
• asks: which consequences are good consequences? who/what benefits from
moral action? how do you judge value of consequences + if they are
good/bad?
Hedonism: Living without pain and achieving a state of blissful tranquility,
through developing ataraxia (freedom from fear), freedom from anguish and
aponia (freedom from bodily pain).
• Utilitarianism:
based on ideas of Epicurus + Mo Tzu, with hedonism at the core.
Mo Tzu (420 BCE):
• Actions should be judged on how useful they are.
• The hedonistic behaviour must be useful behaviour.
Combining ideas:
• Jeremy Bentham founded Utilitarianism in the 18th century.
• Hobbes wrote Leviathan and argued a bad leader isn't necessarily good but
better than no leader. No leader = bad.
Bentham’s work:
• rejects the classic idea of government.
• Principle of Utility: all people should be counted as equal and have equal
say on matters. Decision is based on the majority.
• Greatest good for the greatest number.
• “Nature has placed man under two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure”
• Bentham’s Utilitarianism:
Bentham’s theory is teleological/consequentialist
• Outcomes of an action make it moral/immoral. The action itself is irrelevant.
• This is ACT Utilitarianism (judges acts). No rules, each action is different.
Bentham’s definition of pleasure:
• Pleasure is a simple concept. Offers “fifty-eight synonyms for pleasure”
(MacIntyre) things like knowledge, beauty, justice are all comparable to
pleasure.
he devised Hedonic Calculus = 7 elements all equally weighted. Created to
avoid oppressive laws and governments, or tyrants, the calculus can be used so
people can come up with their own judgements about the morality of their
own actions. It’s intuitive and user-friendly because it takes account of the
variables that make us unique.
Hedonic Calculus:
Pleasure Factor 1: Extent
- we should try to maximise pleasure and minimise pain and we should look
at the pains/pleasures of others, not just our own.
, • Prevents Utilitarianism from being egoistic, instead it is other-regarding.
The Principle of Utility also ensures this.
Pleasure Factor 2: Duration
• we need to try and lengthen our pleasures and shorten our pains and we
should think about these things in relation to one and other.
• eg. short but painful process of rehab is worth it for a lifetime free from
addiction
• issues: makes sense logically, but if you are the one experiencing the pain
would you? You have to be a benevolent and disinterested spectator,
take your willingness to make excepts out of the action.
Pleasure Factor 3: Propinquity (closeness)
• how long will you have to wait to get the pleasure/pain? If the wait is long, is
it worth it + worth the worry?
• eg. not seeing your friends so you can revise for a very far away test. Missing
chances for closer pleasures. So it may be more practical to focus on closer
pleasures.
Pleasure Factor 4: Fecundity
• how fertile the pleasure/pain will be in producing other pleasures/pains.
• e.g some pleasures cant be reproduced but other get better the more
they happen.
Pleasure Factor 5: Intensity
• some pleasures are long lasting, some are instant short bursts.
Pleasure Factor 6: Certainty
• even though we can aim for good and no pain, it doesn't always work
• pleasures that are certain > pleasures that are slim.
Pleasure Factor 7: Purity
• not all actions are good, some have elements of pain/immorality.
• eg if my action comes at the expense of hurting you, it’s less pure than if I can
avoid hurting you.
• Criticising Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism:
Bernard Williams thought experiment shows the greatest flaw in act
utilitarianism:
“No moral theory should have the demands of taking a life.”
“Utilitarians sometimes suggest, we should just forget about integrity, in favour
of such things as a concern for the general good” (A Critique of Utilitarianism)
—> Williams thought the Hedonic Calculus would advocate for people being
killed in certain situations - this was unethical to him.
Critique of Bentham:
• Criticised for simplifying complex humans and ethics to numbers - making him
a quantitative ethical theorist.
• Critics called this “pig ethics”, human society would crumble as we all follow
our base pleasures.
• “Push pin is as good as poetry” - concept criticised by Roger Crisp.
Robert Crisp’s Thought experiment:
Consequentialism/Teleological Ethics:
• argues the moral value of a certain action is dependent on the
consequence/result of the action. thus a good action has a good
consequence and vice versa.
• asks: which consequences are good consequences? who/what benefits from
moral action? how do you judge value of consequences + if they are
good/bad?
Hedonism: Living without pain and achieving a state of blissful tranquility,
through developing ataraxia (freedom from fear), freedom from anguish and
aponia (freedom from bodily pain).
• Utilitarianism:
based on ideas of Epicurus + Mo Tzu, with hedonism at the core.
Mo Tzu (420 BCE):
• Actions should be judged on how useful they are.
• The hedonistic behaviour must be useful behaviour.
Combining ideas:
• Jeremy Bentham founded Utilitarianism in the 18th century.
• Hobbes wrote Leviathan and argued a bad leader isn't necessarily good but
better than no leader. No leader = bad.
Bentham’s work:
• rejects the classic idea of government.
• Principle of Utility: all people should be counted as equal and have equal
say on matters. Decision is based on the majority.
• Greatest good for the greatest number.
• “Nature has placed man under two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure”
• Bentham’s Utilitarianism:
Bentham’s theory is teleological/consequentialist
• Outcomes of an action make it moral/immoral. The action itself is irrelevant.
• This is ACT Utilitarianism (judges acts). No rules, each action is different.
Bentham’s definition of pleasure:
• Pleasure is a simple concept. Offers “fifty-eight synonyms for pleasure”
(MacIntyre) things like knowledge, beauty, justice are all comparable to
pleasure.
he devised Hedonic Calculus = 7 elements all equally weighted. Created to
avoid oppressive laws and governments, or tyrants, the calculus can be used so
people can come up with their own judgements about the morality of their
own actions. It’s intuitive and user-friendly because it takes account of the
variables that make us unique.
Hedonic Calculus:
Pleasure Factor 1: Extent
- we should try to maximise pleasure and minimise pain and we should look
at the pains/pleasures of others, not just our own.
, • Prevents Utilitarianism from being egoistic, instead it is other-regarding.
The Principle of Utility also ensures this.
Pleasure Factor 2: Duration
• we need to try and lengthen our pleasures and shorten our pains and we
should think about these things in relation to one and other.
• eg. short but painful process of rehab is worth it for a lifetime free from
addiction
• issues: makes sense logically, but if you are the one experiencing the pain
would you? You have to be a benevolent and disinterested spectator,
take your willingness to make excepts out of the action.
Pleasure Factor 3: Propinquity (closeness)
• how long will you have to wait to get the pleasure/pain? If the wait is long, is
it worth it + worth the worry?
• eg. not seeing your friends so you can revise for a very far away test. Missing
chances for closer pleasures. So it may be more practical to focus on closer
pleasures.
Pleasure Factor 4: Fecundity
• how fertile the pleasure/pain will be in producing other pleasures/pains.
• e.g some pleasures cant be reproduced but other get better the more
they happen.
Pleasure Factor 5: Intensity
• some pleasures are long lasting, some are instant short bursts.
Pleasure Factor 6: Certainty
• even though we can aim for good and no pain, it doesn't always work
• pleasures that are certain > pleasures that are slim.
Pleasure Factor 7: Purity
• not all actions are good, some have elements of pain/immorality.
• eg if my action comes at the expense of hurting you, it’s less pure than if I can
avoid hurting you.
• Criticising Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism:
Bernard Williams thought experiment shows the greatest flaw in act
utilitarianism:
“No moral theory should have the demands of taking a life.”
“Utilitarians sometimes suggest, we should just forget about integrity, in favour
of such things as a concern for the general good” (A Critique of Utilitarianism)
—> Williams thought the Hedonic Calculus would advocate for people being
killed in certain situations - this was unethical to him.
Critique of Bentham:
• Criticised for simplifying complex humans and ethics to numbers - making him
a quantitative ethical theorist.
• Critics called this “pig ethics”, human society would crumble as we all follow
our base pleasures.
• “Push pin is as good as poetry” - concept criticised by Roger Crisp.
Robert Crisp’s Thought experiment:
