Utilitarianism

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Utilitarianism

• An Introduction to the Moral Theories of Jeremy
  Bentham and John Stuart Mill

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Ethical Judgments

• Ethical philosophy differs from the sciences
  because it is normative or prescriptive, rather
  than descriptive.
• In other words, ethics tell us how ought to act
  or what we should do, while the sciences are more
  likely to observe how things are in nature or
  society.

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Making Ethical Judgments
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Making Ethical Judgments in Utilitarianism

• Utilitarianism says that the Result or the
  Consequence of an Act is the real measure of
  whether it is good or bad.
• This theory emphasizes Ends over Means.
• Theories, like this one, that emphasize the
  results or consequences are called teleological
  or consequentialist.

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Benthams Formulation of Utilitarianism

• Man is under two great masters, pain and
  pleasure.
• The great good that we should seek is happiness.
  (a hedonistic perspective)
• Those actions whose results increase happiness or
  diminish pain are good. They have utility.

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Jeremy Benthams Hedonistic Calculus

• In determining the quantity of happiness that
  might be produced by an action, we evaluate the
  possible consequences by applying several values
• Intensity, duration, certainty or uncertainty,
  propinquity or remoteness, fecundity, purity, and
  extent.

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Two Formulations of Utilitarian Theory

• Greatest Happiness We ought to do that which
  produces the greatest happiness and least pain
  for the greatest number of people.

• Principle of Utility The best action is that
  which produces the greatest happiness and/or
  reduces pain.

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Two Types of Utilitarianism

• Rule We ought to consider the consequences of
  acts performed as a general practice, e.g., lying
  usually causes pain. (J. S. Mill)

• Act We ought to consider the consequences of
  each act separately. (Bentham)

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Application of Utilitarian Theory

• B) You attempt to help an elderly man across the
  street. You stumble as you go, he is knocked into
  the path of a car, and is hurt.
• Conclusion The Act was a bad act.

• A) You attempt to help an elderly man across the
  street. He gets across safely.
• Conclusion the Act was a good act.

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Application of Utilitarian Theory

• If you can use eighty soldiers as a decoy in war,
  and thereby attack an enemy force and kill
  several hundred enemy soldiers, that is a morally
  good choice even though the eighty might be lost.
• If lying or stealing will actually bring about
  more happiness and/or reduce pain, we should lie
  and steal in those cases.

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Application of Utilitarian TheoryActual Cases

• The decision at Coventry during WWII. The
  decision was made not to inform the town that
  they would be bombed.
• The Ford Pinto case A defective vehicle model
  was not recalled and repaired by Ford because
  they felt it was cheaper to pay the liability
  suits than to repairs all the defective cars.

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Criticisms of Benthams theory

• Benthams theory could mean that if 10 people
  would be happy watching a man being eaten by wild
  dogs, it would be a morally good thing for the 10
  men to kidnap someone (especially someone whose
  death would not cause grief to many others) and
  throw the man into a cage of wild, hungry dogs.

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John Stuart Mills Adjustments to Utilitarianism

• Mill argues that we must consider the quality of
  the happiness, not merely the quantity.
• For example, some might find happiness with a
  pitcher of beer and a pizza. Others may find
  happiness watching a fine Shakespearean play. The
  quality of happiness is greater with the latter.

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Mills Quality Arguments

• It is better to be a human being dissatisfied
  than a pig satisfied better to be Socrates
  dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the
  fool, or the pig, are of a different opinion, it
  is because they only know their own side of the
  question. The other party to the comparison
  knows both sides.

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Mills Quality Arguments

• As between his own happiness and that of others,
  utilitarianism requires him to be as strictly
  impartial as a disinterested and benevolent
  spectator. In the golden rule of Jesus of
  Nazareth, we read the complete spirit of the
  ethics of utility. To do as you would be done
  by, and to love your neighbor as yourself,
  constitute the ideal perfection of utilitarian
  morality.

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Criticisms of Utilitarianism

• If I am to bring the greatest happiness to the
  greatest number, not putting my own happiness
  above others, that may lead to a dilemma. I live
  in a neighborhood where 83 of my neighbors use
  drugs. I could make them most happy by helping
  supply them with cheap drugs, but I feel
  uncomfortable doing that. What should a
  utilitarian do?

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Criticisms of Utilitarianism

• Bernard Williams criticizes the implied doctrine
  of negative responsibility in Utilitarianism.
  For example, a thug breaks into my home and holds
  six people hostage, telling us he will kill all
  of us. However, the thug says, if you will
  kill two of your family, I will let you and the
  other three live.
• With Utilitarianism, the good thing to do is to
  kill two members of my family.

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Criticisms of Utilitarianism

• Utilitarianism plays fast and loose with Gods
  commandments. If lying, stealing, or killing
  could lead to an increase of happiness for the
  greatest number, we are told we should lie, steal
  or kill. Isnt that a rejection of Gods
  commands?

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Mills Answer to the Godless Theory Criticism

• What is the nature of God?
• Does God make arbitrary rules just to see if we
  will obey?
• Does God make rules that He knows will lead to
  our happiness?
• If the latter statement is true, doesnt it make
  sense God would want us to use our God-given
  reason to look at the situation?

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Mills Answer to the Godless Theory Criticism

• If it be a true belief that God desires, above
  all things, the happiness of his creatures, and
  that this was his purpose in their creation,
  utility is not a godless doctrine, but more
  profoundly religious than any other. . . .
  .whatever God has though fit to reveal on the
  subject of morals must fulfill the requirements
  of utility in a supreme degree.

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A Second Criticism of Utilitarianism

• If one must decide the probable outcome of an act
  before knowing whether it is good or bad, how can
  children learn to evaluate acts, since they know
  so little of what consequences might arise from
  their actions?

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Mills Rule Utilitarianism

• . . . Mankind must by this time have acquired
  positive beliefs as to the effects of some
  actions on their happiness and the beliefs which
  have thus come down are the rules of morality for
  the multitude, and for the philosopher until he
  has succeeded in finding better. Mill concludes,
  however, that we should always seek improvements.