Utilitarianism Assesssment 1

Explain Bentham’s felicific calculus (5)

Used to calculate to what extent an action adheres to hedonist utilitarianism

This means that it will calculate the total happiness of an action

Intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity, fecundity, purity, extent

Hendons are added and dolors are subtracted

Explain Mill’s argument in favour of higher pleasures (5)

Mill thinks that some actions bring about a better quality of pleasure (qualitative hedonist utilitarianism)

Namely, pleasures of thought, feeling and imagination

Mill, in response to Bentham, states that, ‘quantity of pleasure being equal, push-in is as good as poetry’

He also states that, ‘it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied’

Explain Mill’s proof that happiness is good (5)

Mill states that what is good is desirable and happiness is desirable

Thus, the only evidence that something is desirable is that people desire it

No reason can be given for why happiness is desirable except that each person desires his own happiness

Each person’s happiness is good to that person, so the general happiness is good to the aggregate of all persons

Explain Moore’s objection to Mill’s proof of utilitarianism (5)

G.E Moore suggests that Mill commits the naturalistic fallacy

This states that you cannot define a non-natural property by a natural property

A non-natural property is real but indefinable, whereas a natural property can be found in the natural world

G.E Moore believes that Mill cannot define good by happiness (non-natural by natural)

Explain Mill’s argument that happiness is the only good (5)

Mill argues this by distinguishing between external and constitutive means

External means are necessary for the end, but not part of the end

On the other hand, constitutive means is the case if the end consists in the means

When we desire things for its own sake, it is a constitutive means of happiness

We only desire what is pleasurable, which is happiness; therefore, happiness is the only good

Explain why utilitarianism has an issue with partiality (5)

Partiality means being biased towards those that you are close to

However, you must prioritise general happiness over that of specific people

This poses a challenge to utilitarianism because it is often deemed to be idealistic and morally incorrect