Utilitarianism

Bernard Williams

Utilitarianism: For and Against

Jim in S America

Bentham

“under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure”

Mill

‘It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied’

Mill

‘I regard utility as the ultimate appeal on all ethical questions’

Thomas Carlyle

Utilitarianism fit only for “swine”

Hume

impossible to justify morality on rational grounds

• human nature = seek self-interest, immoral if displeases us

Singer

“reasonable expectations” of consequences

G.E. Moore

naturalistic fallacy: goodness = natural property (pleasure)

Nozick

experience machine

• life not just about pleasure, but reality, struggles that make happiness distinct

collapse argument

breaking rules to maximise happiness, rule utilitarianism collapses into act utilitarianism