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Utilitarianism
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- 1UtilitarianismTeleological, normative theory. Derives from the latin 'utilise' meaning useful. Rejects God, focuses on the one true intrinsic good, happiness. Founded by Jeremy Bentham, hedonist, believed humans are motivated by pleasure and pain, "nature has placed mankind under...two sovereign masters, pleasure and pain".
- 2The principle of utilityRightness/wrongness of an action depends on its 'utility', the amount of pleasure caused. "An action is right if it produces the greatest good for the greatest number". Good=maximum pleasure, minimal pain. Bentham says you should choose to act in a way that causes maximum pleasure for most people.
- 3The hedonistic calculusSeven criteria which can determine whether an act follows the principle of utility. 1. Certainty, 2. duration, 3. extent, 4. intensity, 5. purity, 6. remoteness, 7. richness.
- 4Act UtilitarianismClaims an action is right if it leads to the greatest happiness of all those it affects, otherwise its wrong. 'Greatest happiness' is comparative, so an action is only right if it leads to the more happiness than any other. Seems to have the advantage of providing a clear, simple way of making decisions. It makes complicated decisions easy.
- 5John Stuart Mill:Rejected Bentham's simplistic view, thinks the hedonistic calculus is too rigid.
- 6John Stuart Mill: Higher and lower pleasuresSaid, "the greatest happiness principle holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness". Higher pleasures are qualitatively better and therefore more important than lower pleasures. According to Mill, pleasures of the mind are higher than those of the body.
- 7John Stuart Mill: UniversalisabilityIn order to follow the principle of the greatest good for the greatest number, we need universalisability. "Each person's happiness is good to that person, and the general happiness is a good to the aggregate of all persons. This means sometimes Utilitarianism demands that people put group interns before their own.
- 8Rule UtilitarianismMill used rule utilitarianism, claims an action is right if it complies with those rules, which, if everyone followed them, would lead to the greatest happiness. We should vote on the best possible result for the whole community which produces the most happiness, and should become and rule. I must obey the rule even if it doesn't lead to the greatest pleasure for me.
- 9Preference UtilitarianismJudges moral actions according to whether they fit in with the preferences of the individuals involved. However, because Utilitarianism aims to create the greatest good for the greatest number, it is necessary to consider the preferences others as well.
- 10Preference Utilitarianism: R.M. HareIn moral decision-making, we need to consider our preferences, and those of others. "Equal preferences count equally, whatever their content". People are happy when they get what they prefer, but this may clash with other people's preferences. We need to "stand in someone else's shoes" and try to imagine what someone else may prefer.
- 11Preference Utilitarianism: Peter SingerWe should take the view of an 'impartial spectator' combined with a broadly Utilitarian approach, "our own preferences cannot count any more than the preferences of others". In acting morally, we should take account of all the people affected by our actions. These are weighed and balanced and we must choose the action which gives the best consequences.
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- A level (AS) Religious Studies Fichas sobre Utilitarianism, creado por Rose Cook el 16/05/2017.
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- Rose Cook
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