MORAL PHILOSOPHY - UTILITARIANISM

ACT, RULE, PREFERENCE

Act Utilitarianism

Morality of an action is based on the sum of pleasure derived from its consequences.

Principle of Utility

regards an action as morally good if it works to maximise pleasure and minimise pain in its consequences.

what is the hedonic calculus?

Jeremy Bentham - a set of variables to help calculate the utility of a moral action.

what are the 7 variables of the hedonic calculus? (no particular order)

1. extent
2. duration
3. intensity
4. certainty
5. propinquity (how far away is the pleasure?)
6. fecundity (will the pleasure continue to be pleasurable if repeated?)
7. purity

4 key features of Act Utilitarianism

1. egalitarian - all persons involved in a moral action are regarded as equal
2. hedonistic - pleasure is the highest good
3. consequentialist - it's in the name
4. commensurable - all pleasures are measured by the same standard

deontology

the morality of an action relies on the intentions rather than the consequences; this is opposite to consequentialist theories.

Rule Utilitarianism

Applies the principle of utility to rules rather than individual actions. The morality of an action relies on whether it abides by as many rules as possible as this would provide the most utility.

Rule Worship

There can be circumstances where it would be more ethical to break the rules.

JS Mill - Higher and Lower Pleasures

Higher Pleasures - "Intellectual" Pleasures that make us human (reading, writing, etc)
Lower Pleasures - "Bodily" Pleasures are what animals have (eating, drinking, etc)
- Mill was an elitist. boo

Preference Utilitarianism

Utility relies on the highest amount of preferences being satisfied.

Peter Singer quote

"Killing a disabled infant is not morally equivalent to killing a person. Very often it is not wrong at all."

Why did Peter Singer say the quote? (response to objection against quote)

Singer does not value the infant any less. He is only taking into account that the infant cannot have any preferences.