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Utilitarianism

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8 views

Utilitarianism

Uploaded by

vincegabrieldagasdas213
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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UTILITARIANISM

Basic Elements of Utilitarianism


Utilitarianism as Consequentialist Theory
It determines the morality of an action based on the kind of consequences that the
action has or results in.
Utilitarianism as Welfarist Theory
The consequences that it considers be morally relevant are those that affect the welfare
(well-being) of persons.
Utilitarianism as Aggregationist Theory
The welfare that it considers to be morally relevant is the maximum aggregate or sum
total of welfare of all affected persons.
"The standard is not the agent's own greatest happiness, but
the greatest amount of happiness altogether, not the agent's
own happiness, but that of all concerned."
JOHN STUART MILL
Steps to know which action produces the maximum
aggregate welfare of all affected persons:

1. We get the sum total of pleasures that an action brings to the all
affected persons.
2. We get the sum total of pains that the same action brings to the same
persons.
3. We subtract the sum total of pain from the sum total of pleasures.
Utilitarianism
***Utilitarianism is a calculation of which action
maximizes aggregate welfare for all persons involved.
***If the calculation happens to show that one person's
welfare far exceeds the other's in combination, then the
action that promotes this person's welfare is the morally
good action.
Hedonistic
and
Non-Hedonistic Utilitarianism

6
Hedonistic Forms of Utilitarianism
Qualitative Hedonistic
Utilitarianism

Quantitative Hedonistic
Utilitarianism
Example:
For Bentham, there is no significant
difference between the pleasures one
derives from playing a simple children's
game and the pleasure one derives from
reading a poem; but for Mill, there is.
Calculus
of Felicity 1. Intensity
The more intense the experience of
pleasure, the greater the value of the
pleasure
2. Duration
The longer the experience of pleasure,
the greater the value of pleasure

9
Calculus
of Felicity 3. Certainty
The greater the probability that the
desired pleasure will be experienced, the
greater the value of the pleasure.
4. Propinquity
The shorter the temporal distance
between an act and the pleasure that it
will produce, the greater the value of the
pleasure.

10
5. Fecundity
The higher the probability an experience of
Calculus pleasure will be followed by further
of Felicity experience of pain, the greater the value of
pleasure.
6. Purity
The higher the probability that the experience
of pleasure will not be followed by experience
of pain, the greater the value of pleasure.
7. Extent
The higher the number of persons to
experience the pleasure, the greater the
value of the pleasure 11
Illustration
Criteria
Intensity 2 4

Duration 2 4

Certainty 2 4

Propinquity 5 2

Fecundity 5 2

Purity 5 1

Extent 1 1

Total 22 19
"It is better to be a human being
dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to
be a Socrates dissatisfied than a fool
satisfied. "
The utilitarian morality does recognize in
human beings the power of sacrificing their
own greatest good for the good of others.

It only refuses to admit that the sacrifice is


itself a good. A sacrifice which does not
increase, or tend to increase the sum total
of happiness is wasted.
Non-Hedonistic Form of Utilitarianism
Claims:
1. Pleasure is not the intrinsic good but
something else.
2. Pleasure is an intrinsic good, there are other
intrinsic good as well.
Preference Utilitarianism
➢ It claims that what should be maximized is not the experience of pleasure, but the
satisfaction of preferences (desire/interest)
➢ Richard Hare and Peter Singer
➢ those persons decide to satisfy himself/herself by foregoing pleasurable
experience or by undergoing a painful experience
➢ It contends that an action is morally good when it leads to the greatest satisfaction
of preferences for the greatest number of persons, while it is morally bad if
otherwise.
Pluralistic Utilitarianism
➢ It believes that there is
plurality of intrinsic goods.
➢ Hastings Rashdall and G. E. Moore
➢ Intrinsic goods (beauty, knowledge, power,
healthy social relationship)
➢ It advances the view that an action is morally
good if it maximizes any of these
intrinsic goods.
Act and Rule •The utilitarian principle should be applied
to act itself
•The utilitarian principle should be applied to

Utilitarianism the rule governing the act

18
Act and Rule Utilitarianism
DEONTOLOGICAL VIEWPOINT UTILITARIAN VIEWPOINT
A rule is good if it conforms to A rule is good if following it
some higher law as the will of produces the maximum
aggregate good/welfare
God, natural law, law of reasons.
Complex Form of Utilitarianism
ACT HEDONISTIC UTILITARIANISM RULE HEDONISTIC UTILITARIANISM
An action is morally good if it An action is morally good if it follows a rule
maximizes aggregate happiness; which when generally conformed to will
while it is morally bad if otherwise. maximize aggregate happiness; while it is
morally bad if otherwise.

Classical Utilitarianism
Complex Form of Utilitarianism
ACT NON HEDONISTIC RULE NON
UTILITARIANISM HEDONISTIC UTILITARIANISM

An action is morally good if it An action is morally good if it follows a


maximizes aggregate welfare, rule which generally conformed to will
maximize aggregate welfare, while it is
while it is morally bad if
morally bad if otherwise
otherwise
Thanks!

Mam Riz

22

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