Philosophy - Utilitarianism

Principle of Utility

Greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people

Act consequentialism

Actions are morally right depending on their consequences and nothing else

Value theory / Hedonism

The only thing that is good is happiness

Principle of equality

Each individual’s happiness should be counted equally when determining the good course of action

Felicific/hedonic calculus

The method of calculating the good for an action - Intensity, Duration, Certainty, Fecundity, Propinquity, Purity, Extent. Add up total pleasures and subtract total pains

Higher pleasures

Pleasures of ‘thought, feeling and imagination’, Mill, separates from animals

Lower pleasures

A basic, sensual or physical enjoyment, shared with animals

Quantitative Hedonism

The amount of pleasure supersedes the quality of pleasure when making a moral decision, Bentham

Qualiative Hedonism

The quality of pleasure supersedes the amount of pleasure when making a moral decision, Mill

Act utilitarianism

An action is morally correct if it produces the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people in a situation, Bentham

Rule utilitarianism

An action is morally correct if it conforms to a rule that (when universally followed) leads to the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people, Mill

Secondary moral principles

Rules determined by the utility principle to follow in day to day life

Strong rule utilitarianism

Secondary moral principles determined by the utility principle can never be broken, regardless of the consequences in a specific situation

Weak rule utilitarianism

Secondary moral principles may be broken in specific situations in order to follow the utility principle

Nozick’s experience machine

If there was an experience machine where you could live out a particular fantasy, would you plug in? If not, there is more to ‘good’ than happiness, ie authenticity or the act of actually doing an action

Preference Utilitarianism

An action that is morally correct must satisfy the maximum number of preferences, Hare and Singer