ETHICS

Daily Practice Paper

(DPP)
[ Assignment No. 7 ]

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(1) 2 Subjective Type Questions (For Answer ™ The subjective questions can be solved with the
Writing Practice) help of the topics covered in the class, class notes,
(2) Model Answers of subjective questions given standard books and other sources like newspapers,
in previous assignment. government websites etc.
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 Daily Answer Writing Practice Questions
Daily Answer Writing Practice Ques
Q1. Write an account on the Hedonic Calculus as a device of moral testing.
 (10 Marks, 150 Words)

Q2. Compare the views of Bentham and Mill in the context of Utilitarianism.
 (10 Marks, 150 Words)
 Model Answers : Assignment 6

Q1. Explain utilitarianism with the help of appropriate examples.

 (10 Marks, 150 Words)

Model Answer
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that posits that the best action is the one that maximizes overall
happiness or utility. Rooted in the works of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, utilitarianism
is a form of consequentialism, meaning that the morality of an action is determined by its
outcomes.
Principles of Utilitarianism
z At its core, utilitarianism is guided by the principle of utility, which suggests that actions are
right if they promote happiness and wrong if they produce the opposite of happiness.
z Happiness, in this context, is defined as pleasure and the absence of pain.
z Bentham’s version of utilitarianism is quantitative, assessing the amount of pleasure or pain
an action generates.
z Mill, however, introduced a qualitative aspect, arguing that some pleasures (higher pleasures)
are more valuable than others (lower pleasures).
z Utilitarianism involves a hedonic calculus or utility calculation to measure the consequences
of actions. Factors such as intensity, duration, certainty, and extent are considered to evaluate
the overall utility produced by an action.
Examples of Utilitarianism

Healthcare Allocation
Imagine a situation where a hospital has five patients in need of organ transplants, but only one
donor organ available. A strict utilitarian approach would suggest that the organ should go to the
patient whose survival would result in the greatest overall happiness. This could mean choosing the
patient with the best chance of recovery and the potential to live the longest, thereby maximizing
the utility of the organ.
Trolley Problem
A classic thought experiment in ethics is the trolley problem. A runaway trolley is heading towards
five people tied up on the tracks. You have the option to pull a lever, diverting the trolley onto
another track where there is one person. A utilitarian would argue that pulling the lever is the
morally right choice because it results in the least amount of harm, saving five lives at the expense
of one.
Public Policy
Governments often use utilitarian principles when making policy decisions. For example, consider
a government deciding whether to implement a new safety regulation. If the regulation will save
lives and prevent injuries, but at a significant financial cost, the decision would involve weighing
the benefits (lives saved, injuries prevented) against the costs (financial burden). A utilitarian
approach would favour the regulation if the overall benefit to society outweighs the costs.
Strengths:
 z Utilitarianism offers several strengths as an ethical theory. Its focus on outcomes provides a
clear and pragmatic framework for decision-making.
z It promotes a universal perspective, considering the well-being of all affected individuals,
which aligns with the ethical principle of impartiality.
z Additionally, its flexibility allows it to be applied across various contexts, from individual
choices to large-scale policy decisions.
Criticisms:
z One major challenge is the measurement problem: quantifying happiness or suffering is
inherently difficult and subjective. This can lead to disagreements on what constitutes the
greatest good.
z Additionally, utilitarianism can sometimes justify morally questionable actions if they lead to
greater overall happiness. For instance, it might condone sacrificing the rights of a minority if
it benefits the majority, potentially leading to ethical dilemmas and moral relativism.
z Justice and Rights: Utilitarianism can lead to conclusions that violate individual rights. For
example, punishing an innocent person might be justified if it results in greater overall
happiness, which conflicts with our sense of justice.
z Predicting Consequences: It can be challenging to accurately predict the outcomes of actions,
making it hard to determine the most utilitarian choice.
Despite its limitations, utilitarianism remains a valuable framework for addressing ethical issues in
a wide range of contexts, promoting the greatest good for the greatest number.

Q2. What is the difference between act and rule utilitarianism.

 (10 Marks, 150 Words)
Model Answer
Utilitarianism, an ethical theory that advocates for actions maximizing overall happiness or utility,
can be divided into two main branches: act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. While both
share the foundational principle of maximizing utility, they differ in their approach to evaluating
the morality of actions.
Act utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of individual actions, whereas rule utilitarianism
emphasizes adherence to rules that generally lead to the greatest good.
Act Utilitarianism
z Act utilitarianism, associated with Jeremy Bentham, evaluates the morality of actions based
on their specific consequences.
z Each action is assessed individually to determine whether it maximizes utility, defined as the
balance of pleasure over pain.
z The key principle is the principle of utility, where the rightness of an action depends solely on
the amount of happiness or suffering it produces.
z Example: Imagine a doctor who has five patients in need of organ transplants to survive. An
act utilitarian might consider sacrificing one healthy patient to harvest their organs to save the
five, as this action maximizes overall utility by saving more lives.
Strengths of Act Utilitarianism:
 z Flexibility: It allows for situational analysis, considering the unique circumstances of each
action.
z Direct Application: Actions are directly evaluated based on their outcomes, making moral
reasoning straightforward in specific cases.
z Weaknesses of Act Utilitarianism:
z Predictability: Accurately predicting the consequences of actions can be challenging.
z Moral Intuition: It can lead to morally questionable decisions, such as sacrificing an innocent
person, which conflicts with common moral intuitions.
z Time-Consuming: Evaluating every action individually can be impractical and time-consuming.
Rule Utilitarianism
z Rule utilitarianism, associated with John Stuart Mill, proposes that the morality of actions
should be evaluated based on adherence to rules that generally lead to the greatest good.
z Instead of assessing individual actions, rule utilitarians focus on the consequences of following
general rules. The key idea is that rules derived from the principle of utility should guide moral
behaviour.
z Example: In the same scenario with the doctor and the five patients, a rule utilitarian would
adhere to the rule that doctors should not kill innocent patients for their organs. This rule
generally promotes trust in the medical profession and long-term happiness, even if, in this
particular case, it results in more deaths.
Strengths of Rule Utilitarianism:
z Consistency: It provides a stable and consistent framework for ethical decision-making.
z Moral Intuition: It aligns better with common moral intuitions and established ethical norms.
z Practicality: Following general rules is more practical and less time-consuming than evaluating
each action individually.
z Weaknesses of Rule Utilitarianism:
z Rule Exceptions: Rigid adherence to rules can sometimes lead to suboptimal outcomes in
specific cases.
z Rule Conflicts: Situations may arise where rules conflict, requiring further deliberation on
which rule to follow.
Both approaches have their strengths and weaknesses, and understanding their differences helps
in applying utilitarian principles more effectively to ethical decision-making.