PHIL106 Week03_02_default

Introduction to Classic Utilitarianism

• Bentham and Mill are considered the architects of classic utilitarianism.

• Classic utilitarianism is primarily hedonistic, emphasizing pleasure as the ultimate good.

• Utilitarian ideas and consequentialism have historical roots, with mention of ancient ethical thoughts including those of the Chinese philosopher Mao Tzu.

• The late 18th to mid-19th century marked the formal articulation of utilitarianism.

Key Figures

Jeremy Bentham

• Significant contributions as both a philosopher and social reformer.

• Advocated for individual and economic freedom, separation of church and state, freedom of expression, equal rights for women, right to divorce, decriminalization of homosexuality, abolition of slavery, abolition of the death penalty, and animal welfare.

• His views reflect early liberalism.

John Stuart Mill

• Co-authored "The Subjection of Women" with Harriet Taylor Mill, a landmark work advocating for women's rights; often solely attributed to Mill.

• Advocated similar causes as Bentham, contributing to the modern liberal movement.

Hedonistic Utilitarianism

• Mill's definition: Actions are morally right as they promote happiness and wrong as they promote the opposite.

• Happiness is defined as pleasure and the absence of pain; unhappiness as pain and deprivation of pleasure.

Measurement of Pleasure and Pain

• For utilitarianism to operate, measurement of pleasure and pain is necessary, conceptualized through artificial units:

  • Hedons for pleasure (from Greek for pleasure)

  • Dolos for pain (from Greek for pain/unhappiness)

• Decision-making involves comparing various actions based on their pleasure/pain output.

Example of Decision Making

• Presentation of actions A, B, and C:

  • Action A: Other person gains 100 hedons (0 dolos) (total = 100)

  • Action B: You gain 110 hedons (0 dolos) (total = 110)

  • Action C: Three people gain 50 hedons each (total = 150) but one suffers 30 dolos (total = 120)

• Morally right action according to utilitarianism: Action B (110 hedons) is greatest.

Impartiality in Utilitarianism

• Utilitarianism is impartial; it does not consider whose pleasure or pain it is, applicable to both humans and animals.

• Pleasure counts equally irrespective of origin (human or non-human).

Self-Sacrifice in Utilitarianism

• Utilitarianism may require individuals to sacrifice their happiness for the greater good; however, it can also justify sacrificing others for one's pleasure.

• This aspect raises ethical critiques regarding the morality of sacrificing individuals for collective pleasure.

Bentham's Complexities in Utilitarianism

• Bentham introduces various factors for calculating pleasure and pain:

  • 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: Will the pleasure lead to more pleasure?

  • Purity: Is there any accompanying pain?

  • Extent: How many people are affected?

Theoretical Challenges

• Introducing these factors complicates moral decisions:

  • Example comparisons can yield contradictory outcomes based on different factors (e.g., purity vs. extent).

Conclusion

• Bentham’s complexity adds depth to utilitarian calculations but raises dilemmas regarding how to prioritize these factors in moral decision-making.

• The discussion of utilitarianism thus opens avenues for various ethical considerations which will be further explored in upcoming lectures.