Two main types of Utilitarianism + Scholars?
- Act Utilitarianism –> Jeremy Bentham
–> Calculate consequence of each situation based on tis own merits
–> morality decided through what brings the greatest happiness in each situation - Rule Utilitarianism –> John Stuart Mill
–> Follow accepted laws / rules that lead to greatest overall pleasure over pain
–> General rules for everyone to follow, not absolute rules but should generally be followed
What approach to morality is Utilitarianism? (What does it based morality off)
Teleological Approach - Focus on outcome / consequences of Actions instead of deontological (Intrinsic morality of actions themselves)
What is the main underlying principles of Utilitarianism?
The Utility Principle
- Greatest good for the greatest number
- Seek the greatest balance of good / pleasure over evil / pain
How do Utilitarianians define Good?
Bentham
Good = Pleasure
Mill focus on Happiness
–> not always the case irl e.g. drugs, gluttony prioritising SR superficial happiness over long term happiness
–> not all pain bad e.g. vaccines
Who is Jeremy Bentham + What did he think?
Bentham 18th Century
- Act Utilitarian
- Utility Principle
–> decide morality through what achieves greatest happiness for the greatest number - Hedonic Calculus
–> attempt at mathematical method of quantifying pleasure and pain
What is the Hedonic Calculus?
- Developed by Bentham, Attempt to make a mathematical method of quantifying happiness
- Pleasure, Propinquity, Extent, Duration, Intensity, Certainty, Fecundity
(PPE Does Include Cutting Funding) idk
Pleasure - Is pleasure mixed with pain
Propinquity - how distant is pleasure
Extent - How many people affected
Duration - How long pleasure last
Intensity - How intense pleasure
Certainty - How certain are you of result
Fecundity - How likely is pleasure to cause more pleasure
Pro - provide structure to measure happiness
Cons - vague, subjective, all criteria have same weighting
Who is John Stuart Mill + What does he think?
19th Century
- Rejects HC + Bentham’s focus on Quantity
–> Prioritises quality
- Sadistic guard argument to Bentham
- Developed Higher vs. Lower pleasure
- Mill’s Harm Principle
Higher vs. Lower Pleasures
Mill
Higher pleasures
- Stimulate higher thought e.g. poetry
- Better to be dissatisfied human than satisfied pig
Lower Pleasures
- Physical pleasures create superficial happiness, not permanent
Why does Mill prioritises Quantity?
- Rejects Hedonic Calculus + Focus on Quantity of pleasure
- Mill didn’t agree all pleasures were equal e.g. higher pleasures Vs. Lower
- Higher pleasures satisfy the mind, lower pleasures the body
–> Mental well being more important than bodily pleasures
The Sadistic Guards Argument?
Mill states Bentham’s theory allows for 10 guards to torture a prisoner if they enjoy it
- Mill prevents this as quality of suffering overweights quality of happiness for guards
Why did Mill prioritise Happiness over Pleasure?
- Still held Utility Principle true, but preferred happiness to pleasure
- Happiness is only desirable thing, other things seem desirable because they lead to happiness
- General Happiness of all is desirable
What is the Harm Principle?
- John Stuart Mill
- no one should forcibly be prevented from acting in a way he chooses, provided his actions are not invasive of the free acts of others’
–> Actions should only be limited if they present harm or restriction to other - e.g. argument for homosexuality
Wider Scholars for Utilitarianism?
- Peter Singer - Preference Utilitarianism
–> Should do what people would rationality prefer
–> Cant overlook minorities - Henry Sidwick - Classical Utilitarianism
–> moral symmetry of pleasure and pain (Pleasure ↑ pain automatically ↓)
–> Questions how we distinguish lower from higher pleasure + one higher pleasure from another
–> People should act toward others in a way they wouldn’t want other to act towards them
G.E. Moore - Ideal Utilitarianism
–> Rejects idea sole moral objective is pleasure or happiness
–> other intrinsic goods such as friendship or knowledge (Mill respond that these things only seem desirable cause they cause happiness)
Karl Popper - Negative Utilitarianism
–> Classical Util can be used to justify horrific acts
–> Should Act to minimise suffering rather than maximise pleasure
–> Maximising pleasure should be left to individual
–> No moral symmetry between pleasure and pain
Bernard Williams
- Util causes compromise of moral integrity, go against moral principles
Strengths to Utilitarianism
Teleological
- Forces people to consider morality of action + affects on other
- Not just follow rules like deontological
Rational
- Rational to maximise pleasure + minimise pain
Structured
- Hedonic Calculus - mathematical measurable
Democratic
- Treats everyone as equal
- Does best for majority
Universal
- Everyone is give the same one principle of utility to follow
Weaknesses of Utilitarianism ?
Future is Unpredictable
- Even if could Quantify pleasure can predict others reactions to action
- Unknown variable e.g. Pojman’s Hitlers grandma example
Cant Quantify happiness
- Too subjective, even HC is vague
Tyranny of Majority
- Minority ignored, majority abuse power
Justify horrific acts
- Ends don’t justify means
- Mill’s sadistic guard argument
No rest objection
- Maximising others happiness leads to self-sacrifice, need a balance e.g. Aristotles mean (even virtues need to be balanced)
Compromise moral integrity
- Bernard Williams - can cause you to go against deep held moral principles
