Summary
Utilitarianism FULL SUMMARY
- Module
- Utilitarianism
- Institution
- OCR
Fully summary of the utilitarianism topic with Ethics. Includes scholars, quotes, strengths and weaknesses, essay plans ect
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UTILITARIANISM –greatest good for the greatest number
“RULE UTILISRIANISM IS MORE CONVINCING THAN ACT”
AGREE DISAGREE
Ensures the greatest amount of Certain pleasures infringe on people’s
pleasure liberty, therefore less valid
More structured and sets out More flexible as It’s hard to predict
established rules that are based on the future – certainty in the hedonic
utilitarianism calculus is flawed
Practical approach which takes Hedonic calculus useful and specific
everyone into account method measuring pleasure
Avoids the problem of the hedonic Act has a more universal appeal
calculus therefore less time consuming mill’s theory on higher pleasures is
Subjective which criterion should considered to be elitist. overly
be prioritised focused on individual advancement -
Criteria could conflict with each other selfish?
intensity vs purity Base pleasure usually immediate
avoids base pleasures act pig and avoids pain
philosophy higher pleasures
contribute to flourishing
higher pleasures acknowledge the
purpose of initial struggle
David Lyon’s theory
Rule utilitarianism can become act is rules are inadequate
David Lyon’s in his book forms and limits or utilitarianism
explained his preference for act utilitarianism arguing that in
situations where some rules are lacking, sub-rules are
devised in an attempt to resolve the problem. He therefore
explained that there are cases where ‘rule utilitarianism’
becomes ‘act utilitarianism’
, Utilitarianism applies the principle of utility to moral problems.
“utility” refers to the extent to which good and evil is done by a
choice
It is teleological meaning it focuses on the results
It was proposed by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill
The hedonic calculus is the calculation of the balance between
pleasure and pain and the evil and good that results from a
situation
Bentham and mill are examples of consequentialism (goodness
is about happiness ect and badness is the opposite) – classical
utilitarianism is hedonistic
Classical utilitarians measure happiness
Bentham measures happiness in quantative terms whereas mill
measuring it in qualitative pains and pleasures
It is challenged by the argument that it permits us to break
rules and doesn’t provide a basis for fairness and justice. It
relies on the ability to know future consequences of actions
and assumes shared or common interests
Jeremy Bentham was the first utilitarian as he had a different
approach to ethical decision making rather than obidence to
the bible
He describes pain and pleasure as our masters instead of some
divine authority
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