Act Utilitarianism

Benthamite
Mill
Bentham believes all pleasure & pain equal - some pleasures are not "superior"
Bentham used the Hedonic Calculus to decide whether or not an action is "right"
Believed Utilitarianism should be the guide legislator of laws/rules
Believed Utilitarianism was not a "new" system - this is the way that humans have always operated
Bentham
Philanthropist (performs generous/benevolant actions)
Social reformer
Supported
Believed there is no such thing as natural justice - rights are only given to us by law
Founder of Utilitarianism
1748-1832
Believed in prison/legal reforms
Saw society as a collection of individuals
Decriminalisation of homosexuality
Seperation of church and state
Abolition of death penalty
Abolition of slavery
Did not believe in the good of the community being put above the good of the individual
Agreed with Utilitarianism's central tenets
Disagreed that all pleasures and pains are equal
1806-1873
Was extremely well educated
A response to Utilitarinism being called a "philosophy for pigs"
"It is quite compatible with the principle of utility to recognise the fact that some kinds of pleasure are more desirable and more valuable than others" - Mill
Why
Intellectual pleasures are just intrinsically better
They have a "greater permanency, safety, uncostliness etc"
PURER pleasure, more FECUNDITY

	Created by emmakidd over 12 years ago

	Copied to Note by emmakidd over 12 years ago

A Levels Philosophy Note on Utilitarianism - created from Mind Map, created by emmakidd on 25/03/2014.

Utilitarianism - created from Mind Map