Utilitarianism- how useful something is
- Created by: Sfranp I
- Created on: 04-03-16 12:36
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- Utilitarianism- how useful something is
- Principle of utility- a measure of the usefulness of an ethical action
- Utilitarianism is teleological which means that a morality of an action is judged on its outcome. NOT what people did to get that outcome.
- Utilitarianism is 'relativist' meaning that what is right depends on the situation. Good and bad can differ.
- Disadvantages of having a teleological theory
- No consideration of attitude or good intentions of a moral agent.
- Hard to predict the outcome of actions, therefore can be unreliable.
- Advantages of a teleological ethical theory
- Right to focus on outcomes and consequences as they have effects on others.
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- Jeremy Bentham
- Developed 'Classical/ Act Utilitarianism'
- Promotes actions that produce a greater amount of pleasure over pain.
- First philosopher to apply the principle of utility to happiness.
- Believed that moral agents should bring about the most amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people as possible.
- Believed that avoiding pain and seeking pleasure were the two main aims of all individuals.
- Hedonistic Calculus
- Belief that the pursuit of happiness is morally right.
- A tool developed by Bentham to measure the amount of happiness an action will produce.
- 7 different measure of happiness.
- Intensity- how intense or weak
- Duration
- Certainty- how likely
- Purity- how free from pain
- Extent
- Remoteness- how close in time
- Hedonistic Calculus
- Developed 'Classical/ Act Utilitarianism'
- Context
- The Enlightenment
- Cultural and intellectual movement
- Late 17th and 18th century
- Key thinkers
- John Locke and David Hume
- Empiricists- we know what we experience
- Influenced Bentham
- John Locke and David Hume
- Industrial Revolution
- England 1760-1840
- People moved from countryside to cities
- Many jobs in factories and industries were created
- Great economic development
- Caused social problems.
- People lived in crowded, dirty conditions and worked long hours in dangerous factories.
- Prisoners were treated badly
- Alcoholism & Prostitution.
- Caused social problems.
- The Enlightenment
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