7. Act Utilitarianism

what is act utilitarianism

when decisions about right and wrong are made in each unique situation

what does bentham insist people are motivated to do

seek pleasure, avoid pain

what would bentham be known as in todays society

a social scientist

bentham quote about nature

'nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters'

whats the principle of utility

desire to pursue pleasure and avoid pain

what should we seek in situations

maximum happiness for the max number of people involved

how can we measure pleasure or pain

via the hedonic calculus

whats intensity

how strong the pleasure is

whats duration

how long it lasts

whats certainity

how likely/unlikely the pleasure is

whats propinquity

how soon the pleasure will happen

whats fecundity

how likely the event is to cause similar pleasures

whats purity

what is the balance of pain over pleasure / pleasure over pain

whats extent

how far pleasure / pain will extend to people affecred

what did he apply the hedonic calculus to

human infants/ animals

whats the calculus trying to establish

if the act has a balance of pleasure over pain

how is bentham a 19th c radical

gave god no role in ethical decision making

what was Benthams example of increasing tobacco in Czech republic

it improves gov funding cuz of healthcare which can go to education etc

whats the outputs of benthams czech example

$144m net gain, ruined health

whats the ford pinto case

car had fuel tank at back. collision = explosion.

what did ford do for the ford pinto before its release

cost benefit analysis

why were ford sued in court

the cost benefit analysis was found

what did the jurors give to the victims of the ford pinto

huge settlement