Ut

Question 1

What is utilitarianism?

Answer 1

The morally right action is the action that causes the most overall good effects.

Question 2

Consequentialism

Answer 2

The moral rightness of an action depends only on its effects

Question 3

Consciousness

Answer 3

Things are morally right/wrong solely because of their effects on conscious beings who care about how they feel / what happens. Without such beings, nothing would be right/wrong.

Question 4

impartiality

Answer 4

All conscious beings are to be included when we are considering the effects of an action and none have any more/less importance than any other.

Question 5

maximisation

Answer 5

The morally right action is the action that maximises overall/total utility

Question 6

What is the meaning of utility in hedonistic utilitarianism?

Answer 6

pleasure

Question 7

What is the meaning of utility in non-hedonistic utilitarianism?

Answer 7

satisfaction of preferences

Question 8

Jeremy Bentham’s quantitative hedonistic utilitarianism

Answer 8

The morally right action is the action that maximises the balance of pleasure over pain

Question 9

quantitative

Answer 9

only to be measured based on its quantity

Question 10

psychological hedonism

Answer 10

only pleasure and pain motivate us

Question 11

ethical hedonism

Answer 11

only pleasure has moral value and only pain or displeasure has moral disvalue

Question 12

Bentham’s utility calculus

Answer 12

Intensity
Duration
Certainty
Propinquity (how close the pleasure is)
Fecundity (how likely it is that it will lead to more of the same sensation)
Purity
Extent

Question 13

John Stuart Mill’s qualitative hedonistic utilitarianism

Answer 13

he morally right action is the action that maximises the balance of pleasure over pain, taking the quality of the pleasures into consideration

Question 14

Mill’s main quote

Answer 14

“It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied”

Question 15

John Stuart Mill’s ‘proof’ of the greatest happiness principle

Answer 15

P1: The only and best possible evidence for something being desirable is that it is desired.

P2: Each person’s happiness is desired by them

C1: Therefore, we have the best evidence we could have that each person’s happiness is desirable to them.

C2: Therefore, happiness is desirable

P3: Only happiness is desirable for its own sake.

P4: Whatever is desirable for its own sake is morally valuable and so ought to be maximised.

C3: Therefore, the right action is that action which tends to maximise happiness.

Question 16

Preference utilitarianism

Answer 16

The morally right action is the action that maximises the satisfaction of preferences.

Question 17

Act utilitarianism

Answer 17

The morally right action is the one that produces the most utility.

Actions are judged on a case by case basis.
This means that it is possible for the same type of action to be wrong on one occasion and right on another.

Decision making process = one stage
Which action produces the most utility? That’s the right action.

Question 18

Rule utilitarianism

Answer 18

The morally right action is the one that is in accordance with the set of rules which, if accepted, produces the most utility.

Actions are judged based on their conformity to predetermined rules.
This means that if there is a rule about a particular type of action then presumably this action will always be wrong/right

Decision making process = two stages:
Which rule/s produces the most utility?
Which action fits the rule? That’s the right action