Utilitarianism
- Created by: EmilyKnowles99
- Created on: 17-02-16 14:52
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- Utilitarianism
- Jeremy Bentham
- Act utilitarianism
- Reletivistic
- No universal moral normalities
- Consequence based
- The action is judged on the outtcome
- Teleological
- The end goal is happiness
- Reletivistic
- The hedonic calculus is the way in which we measure happiness
- Intensity
- Duration
- Certainty
- Propinquity
- Fecundity
- Purity
- Extent
- The Greatest happiness principle
- We should aim to achieve 'the greatest happiness for the greatest number'
- Act utilitarianism
- JS Mill
- Rule utilitarianism
- Strong rule utilitarianism
- 'you must never lie'
- Any rules created by using the principle of utility should never be broken
- This is because rules are made to create the greatest happiness
- Weak rule utilitarianism
- 'It's OK to lie if you're protecting someone's life'
- Tries to allow for the fact that in extreme cases the rule must be broken to achieve the greatest happinexss
- By using the GHP you can draw up general rules based on past experience.
- What general rule will help create the greatest happiness?
- Strong rule utilitarianism
- Higher and Lower pleasures
- The quality of the consequence of the act is more important than the quantity
- An improvement of Bentham's GHP as Mill understood that one man's happiness could be overlooked by a large quantity of poor quality happiness
- Higher pleasures are intellectual pleasures that help develop us humans
- Lower pleasures are inferior pleasures of the senses
- Rule utilitarianism
- Strengths
- Act Utilitarianism is pragmatic and consequentialist
- "Consequences have real effects on people and therefore should be the basis of evaluating actions" Sarah K Tyler and Gordon Reid
- For many people 'happiness' is an important aspect of decision making as it's their main aim in life
- "If the promotion of happiness and the lessening of pain is what we value then all human actions should have these aims" Patrick J Clarke
- Act utilitarianism is clear and easy to follow
- "it is straight forward and based on clear principle" Mel Thompson
- Act Utilitarianism is pragmatic and consequentialist
- Weaknessess
- Relies on human ability to predict consequences
- "it is often hard to know what consequences are either unforeseen unintended or both" Cain Rolleston
- It fails to consider that people have certain duties towards another e.g. Mother to daughter
- "in practice, none of us is wiling to treat all people as equals, for it would require that we abandon our special relationships with friends and family" James Rachels
- Happiness is subjective, people have different ideas of pleasure
- "If human beings don't have the same idea of what gives them pain or pleasure, then the premise on which utilitarianism is built is severely weakened" Robert Bowie
- Relies on human ability to predict consequences
- Religious compatibility
- It IS NOT compatible with Christianity
- A Utilitarian's goal is to create happiness yet it's a Christian's goal to fulfil God's wil
- The 10 commandments are absolute whereas Act Utilitarianism is relativistic
- Rules are based on human knowledge and past experience- not divine command
- It IS compatible with Christianity
- The 'golden rule' Luke 6v31
- Treat others as you would have them treat you
- The ten commandments relate to strong rule utilitarianism and create the greatest happiness
- Utilitarianism states that the ultimate goal is happiness. Christianity aims to make people happy by having a relationship with God
- Mill's utilitarianism promotes impartiality and selflessness. Utilitarianism wishes happiness for all. This relates to Christian belief
- Love your neighbour as yourself
- The 'golden rule' Luke 6v31
- It IS NOT compatible with Christianity
- Jeremy Bentham
- "It is better to be a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied"
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