Bentham and Kant

Bentham Act utilitarianism

• Consequentialist- makes moral decisions on a case-by case basis

• In each situatuon, we should apply the principle of utility- doing whatever is useful in producing the greatest amount of pleasure and the least amount of pain for greatest number of people

• this is because pleasure/happiness is the only intrinsitc good, everything is at best an instrumental good

• He provides Hedonic calculus to help us:

• Intensity, duration, certainity, propinquity, fecundity, purity, extent

Bentham IS compatible with christian moral decision making

• goal of christinity is infinite happiness in heaven- similarly, goal of utilitarianism is happiness

• utilitarianism acts on a case by case basis, similarly Jesus also sometimes acted situationally

• hedonic calculus considers all people equally, simialarly Bible emphasises that you are one in christ

• Focuses on helping others- maximising pleasure for most, similar to love thy neighbour

• Principle of utility is similar to the synderesis rule

Betham ISNT compatible with christian moral decision making

• Utilitarianism is secular and does need beleif in God but belief in God is central to christian decision making

• Bible focuses on actions/ intentions rather than consequences e.g. do not murder

• Christanity has fixed moral rules while bentham rejected set rules

Kant’s deontology

• hypothetical imperative: follow if u want to achieve a certain outcome

• when making moral decisions, we should use reason to work out the catergorical imperative

• this is an unconditional moral obligation that must always be obeyed, regardless of the situation

• consequences do not matter, goodness cannot be measured by consequencs- the only good is the good will to do your duty

• “duty for duty’s sake”

3 formulations of the catergorial imperative

• Universilisability- must still be good if everyone on universe did it

• Persons as ends- everyone is rational, autonomous and deserving of respect. dont use people. action must never exploit e.g. trolley problem

• Kingdom of ends- act as if you were making a law for a perfect kingdom of ends

Kant’s theory is grounded in 3 postulates

• required assumptions for his theory to work

1. we have free will- we need to be genuinely free to do good/evil without this we cant be morally repsonsible for actions

2. The afterlife- morality requires the ‘summum bonum’ (highest good)- perfect virtue rewarded with perfect happiness

3. God- God must exist to ensure the summum bonnum actually occurs

Strengths of Kant

• offers clear and fixed guidelines, no ambiguity, easy to follow, removes emotions

• respects the value of each person, prevents exploting people

• working out morality doesnt depend on belief in God

Weakness of Kant

• too rigid- in real life we must take situation and consequences into account e.g. stealing to feel starving baby

• impratical- while it may work in kingdom of ends, doesnt work in the complex real world - people do immoral things

• an atheist may still not what to use it because it dont want accept postulates

• Doesnt account for conflicting duties

Kant IS consistent with christian ethics

• persons as ends is consistent with sancity of life that argues every human life has intrinsic value

• emphasis on reason is similar to Aquinas’ ideas

• 2/3 postualtes consistent with christianity

Kant ISNT compatible with christain ethics

• it is a cold theory about duty that doesnt consider love, chrisitanity emphasises spreading love “love thy neighbour”

• Believes we should work out what to do using reason, rather than following divine commands

• There are no excpetions to the catergorical imperative ever, but sometimes jesus put aside rules to help people