GESS-5 (1)

Part I: The Academic Ethical Traditions

Chapter IV: Utilitarianism

References

  • Kant, Immanuel. Kant's Critique of Practical Reason and Other Works on the Theory of Ethics, Translated by John Stuart Mill. Whitefish, NY: Kessinger, 2007.

  • Loude, Robert. Kant's Impure Ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.

  • Reyes, Ramon. Ground and Norm of Morality. Manila: Ateneo Press, 1989.

  • Savater, Fernando. Apóstatas Razonables. Barcelona: Mandragora, 2007.

  • Savater, Fernando. Etica per un Figlio. Roma: Laterza, 2007.

Learning Outcomes

  • Articulate the meaning of consequentialist ethics.

  • Analyze the Greatest Happiness Principle.

  • Examine objections to Mill's position and his responses.

  • Evaluate ethical decisions from the perspective of utilitarianism.

Introduction

  • Human decisions always have consequences and affect relationships.

  • Decisions bring forth new ideas, objects, and relationships and vary in impact depending on motivations.

Chapter IV: Utilitarianism - John Stuart Mill

Decision-Making Factors

  • Decisions are evaluated by motives or consequences.

  • Good motives lead to good outcomes; bad motives lead to negative outcomes.

  • Real-life complexities involve impure motives and varying consequences.

The Greatest Happiness Principle

  • John Stuart Mill’s revisions of utilitarianism focus on the quality and quantity of pleasures.

  • Happiness is defined as the predominance of pleasure over pain.

  • The actions are judged as right or wrong based on their impact on happiness for the greatest number.

Bentham's Felicific/Hedonistic Calculus

  • A method used to evaluate the pros and cons of an action:

    • Intensity: How strong is the pleasure?

    • Duration: How long does the pleasure last?

    • Certainty: How likely is the pleasure to occur?

    • Propinquity: How soon will the pleasure occur?

    • Fecundity: Probability that the action leads to more pleasure.

    • Purity: Is the pleasure not followed by pain?

    • Extent: How many people are affected?

Quality vs. Quantity of Pleasure

  • Mill differentiates between higher (intellectual) and lower (sensory) pleasures.

  • Actions contribute to happiness based on their ability to produce higher pleasures.

The Greatest Happiness Principle Explained

  • An action is right if it promotes happiness, wrong if it promotes unhappiness.

  • Preference for higher quality pleasures is supported by competent judges.

  • The distinction between higher and lower pleasures reflects moral decision-making.

Objections to Utilitarianism

  • Critics argue utilitarianism reduces morality to mere pleasure-seeking.

  • Mill counters that pleasures of intellect and imagination are more fulfilling than mere physical sensations.

  • Mill emphasizes the importance of social connections and moral responsibility.

Responses to Objections

  • Mill addresses that utilitarianism allows for self-sacrifice when it promotes the greatest good.

  • A hypothetical situation tests utilitarian reasoning: the Trolley Problem.

The Ultimate Sanction

  • External sanctions motivate moral behavior, but the internal sanction of conscience is paramount.

  • Moral actions are driven by a feeling for humanity and consideration for the well-being of others.

Conclusion

  • Utilitarianism promotes assessing actions based not only on consequences but also on their capacity to enhance the happiness and welfare of the populace.

Part II: Special Topics in Ethics

Chapter VII: Environmental Ethics

Learning Outcomes

  • Recognize the importance of environmental ethics in contemporary society.

  • Understand the positions of animal rights activists.

  • Discuss and differentiate biocentric outlooks on nature and land ethics.

  • Trace philosophical foundations of ecological problems.

  • Understand what it means to be a dweller in nature.

Introduction

  • The planet has been exploited for resources at an alarming rate since industrialization.

  • Environmental degradation leads to severe consequences, including rising temperatures and species extinction.

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

  • Carson's book highlights the ecological impact of pesticides, emphasising a need for ethical consideration of the environment.

Ethical Treatment of Animals

Peter Singer

  • Advocates for the equal treatment of all sentient beings to prevent suffering regardless of species.

  • Critiques speciesism, emphasizing the moral consideration of animal well-being.

Tom Regan

  • Posits that some animals possess inherent rights due to their capacity to experience life.

  • Argues against killing or using animals for human benefit based solely on species.

Paul Taylor and Biocentrism

  • Taylor believes all living organisms have inherent value and welfare interests worthy of moral consideration.

  • Biocentrism challenges the anthropocentric view, advocating for equal ethical treatment of all life forms.

Aldo Leopold's Land Ethic

  • Leopold's perspective enhances the appreciation of ecosystems' roles in sustaining life, highlighting moral obligations towards the land.

Climate Change and Sustainable Development

  • Brundtland Report underscores the equitable usage of resources, advocating for sustainable development that meets current and future needs.

Conclusion

  • Effective environmental ethics considers individual and communal actions towards a sustainable future, differentiating between mere existence and ethical living within the ecosystem.