Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism

The theory that claims we ought to maximise utility

Rule utilitarianism

An action is right if it conforms to a set of rules that when followed maximises good for maximum people

Act utilitarianism

An action is right if it produces greatest amount of happiness for greatest number of people

Qualitative Hedonistic Utilitarianism

Mills theory. Intellectual pleasures are superior in quality to basic physical ones. Anyone who has fully experienced both would agree. “It’s better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied”

Quantitative Hedonistic Utilitarianism

Bentham’s theory. Judges the rightness of an action based on the total amount of pleasure it produces. Simple games like pushpin are equal in value to art and poetry if they generate the same amount of joy.

Bentham’s Hedonic Calculus

Intensity - how strong a pleasure or pain is

Duration - how long it lasts

Certainty - how likely it is to occur

Propinquity - how soon it will happen

Fecundity - how likely it is to lead to more pleasures

Purity - the chance it won’t be followed by pain

Extent - how many individuals are affected by it

Preference Utilitarianism

The right action satisfies the most individual preferences or desires