Utilitarianism

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• Utilitarianism
• PHI 251
• Introduction to Ethics

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Utilitarianism

• A moral theory according to which an action is
  right if and only if it conforms to the principle
  of utility. (Jeremy Bentham, Introduction to the
  Principles of Morals and Legislation, 1789)

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A Theory of Usefulness

• IT IS BASED ON CONSEQUENCES ALONE IT IS A
  TELEOLOGICAL THEORY.
• JUDGES ONLY ENDS NOT THE MEANS TO THAT END.
• HAPPINESS / PLEASURE IS THE ONLY GOOD TO BE
  SOUGHT.
• ALL CONCERNED MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT, THE
  HAPPINESS OF THE GREATEST NUMBER IS WHAT
  COUNTS.
• JEREMY BENTHAM, JOHN S MILL, PETER SINGER, R.M
  HARE.

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Key Questions

• Is a moral world one where as many people as
  possible are as happy as they can be?
• Do the ends always justify the means?
• What makes an action good or bad the action in
  itself or the consequences of that action?
• Does the good of the majority always outweigh the
  good of the few, or the one?

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• Action conforms to the principle of utility if
  and only if its performance will be more
  productive of pleasure or happiness, or more
  preventive of pain or unhappiness, than any
  alternative. Instead of 'pleasure' and
  'happiness' the word 'welfare' is also apt the
  value of consequences of an action is determined
  solely by the welfare of individuals.

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Jeremy Bentham

• Bentham stated that humanity was motivated by
  pleasure and pain Hedonism
• He believed humanity pursued pleasure and avoided
  pain.
• Pleasure and pain identified what we should and
  shouldnt do hedonic utilitarianism.

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Benthams Principle of Utility

• The rightness or wrongness of an act is
  determined by its usefulness.
• Usefulness refers to the amount of pleasure or
  happiness caused by an action.
• Also known as the greatest happiness principle.
• An action is right if it produces the greatest
  good (pleasure or happiness) for the greatest
  number.
• Democracy is based on Utilitarianism.

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Benthams Hedonic Calculus

• 7 factors to be taken into consideration
• Intensity Duration (Un)certainty Remoteness
  (propinquity) Fecundity (will more pain follow
  this pain?) Purity Extent (how many people
  will it affect?).
• The balance of pleasure and pain can be compared
  and the morally correct action will follow.

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John Stuart Mill

• Utility the Greatest Happiness Principle
• Actions are right in proportion as they tend to
  promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce
  the reverse of happiness. By happiness is
  intended pleasure, and the absence of pain by
  unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure.
• Maximize the welfare of all sentient creatures
  (happinessutility, highest good)

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Act Utilitarianism

• "is the view that the rightness or wrongness of
  an action is to be judged by the consequences,
  good or bad, of the action itself. TELEOLOGY
  (purpose)

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Rule Utilitarianism

• "is the view that the rightness or wrongness of
  an action is to be judged by the goodness and
  badness of the consequences of a rule which
  says that everyone should perform the action in
  like circumstances."

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• Act utilitarianism says to choose or perform
  actions which increase happiness and diminish
  misery. Rule utilitarianism says to act according
  to rules which tend to increase happiness and
  diminish misery.

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• Act utilitarianism says that a person should
  perform an act or action which will bring about
  the greatest amount of good for all concerned, or
  an act is right or good if it brings about the
  greatest amount of good for all concerned.
• Rule utilitarianism says that rules should be
  made and followed which will bring about the
  greatest amount of good for all concerned, or a
  rule is right or good if it brings about the
  greatest amount of good for all concerned.

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• Act utilitarianism focuses on the consequences
  of actions. Rule utilitarianism focuses on the
  consequences of rules.

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• Act utilitarianism says that each individual
  action should be assessed on the results or
  consequences which it alone produces. Rule
  utilitarianism does not focus on individual
  actions, but considers the consequences of rules
  which concern kinds of action.

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Three traditional objections to utilitarianism

• 1) It is difficult to see how it can be
  practically applied - can we really know what
  amount of happiness is likely to result from
  either individual actions or from general rules
  pertaining to actions?

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Three traditional objections to utilitarianism

• 2) It seems to be unfair - cant it be the case
  that the happiness (and rights) of some
  individual or group of individuals be sacrificed
  for the happiness of the majority?

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Three traditional objections to utilitarianism

• 3) Its focus on actions to the exclusion of
  motives and intentions - this makes it seem
  one-sided and naive.