What is psychological hedonism?
A descriptive theory - humans are ONLY motivated by pursuing pleasure and avoiding pain
What two things should an ethical theory be?
Theoretically coherent
Practically applicable
What is hedonism?
Prescriptive theory - maximising pleasure and minimising pain (our own) should be our main goal
What is act utilitarianism?
An ethical theory that suggests that an action is morally right if it maximises pleasure and minimises pain.
What is classical utilitarianism?
An umbrella term for an ethical theory that aims to cause the most happiness
What is Nozick’s experience machine and how does it counter classical utilitarianism?
A hypothetical machine that gives you pleasure through wires in your brain, but once you plug in you can’t unplug.
According to psychological hedonism, we should all want to enter the machine (IF happiness is the ultimate end) However most people would not plug in because there are things they value more than pleasure, like freedom, their friends/family, etc.
This disproves psychological hedonism, what classical utilitarianism is largely based on.
What is rule utilitarianism?
Actions should follow rules that would, if everyone followed them, create the most happiness
What are the positives of rule utilitarianism compared with act?
Easier and quicker to work out which actions are moral
Justifies universal human rights
What is weak rule utilitarianism?
Allows for rules to be broken if they cause less happiness in a specific scenario
E.g. axe murderer asking for the location of your friend, should you lie and break a rule?
What is strong rule utilitarianism?
The rules should never be broken under any circumstances, even if more pain than pleasure caused in the short-term, because overall the rule causes more pleasure if followed
What is a drawback of weak rule utilitarianism?
If you can break the rule and decide what it moral depending on the individual action, it is essentially act utilitarianism
What is a drawback of strong rule utilitarianism?
Could be considered to be ‘rule worship’
Goes against utility principle if the action that doesn’t maximise pleasure is right
What is a counterargument in support of rule utilitarianism?
When secondary principles clash (like in the axe murderer problem) you should revert to primary principle - utility principle
What is the main drawback of rule utilitarianism?
Rules would need to keep being refined to fit specific scenarios - until it essentially reverts to act utilitarianism
Outline the three stages of Mill’s proof
- Each person’s happiness is desired, therefore each person’s happiness is desirable
- Therefore, the general happiness is good for everyone
- Everything we desire is actually only desired through its association with happiness, therefore happiness is the sole good.
What are the main issues with Mill’s proof?
Fallacy of composition
ADD MORE LATER
What are Mill’s higher and lower pleasures?
Higher pleasures = intellectual pleasures
Lower pleasures = physical pleasures
What are the criticisms of Mill’s qualitative calculus?
Mill uses inductive arguments - not proof, only evidence
Culturally snobbish
Undermines hedonistic utilitarianism, higher pleasures can be less pleasurable
More complex than act
What are the positives of Mill’s qualitative calculus?
What is preference utilitarianism?
It is morally right to maximise the preferences of the majority
What are the positives of preference utilitarianism opposed to classical utilitarianism?
Counters issue with psychological hedonism (pleasure machine) and complex utility calculus
Cares more about minorities
What are the problems with preference utilitarianism?
- Weighing up of preferences (E.g. gladiator arena)
- Preferences from a distance (E.g. dying wishes)
- Bad preferences (E.g. mental illness)
