key terms

ethical hedonism: the belief that what is good/right is what brings about pleasure; an ethical theory based on maximising pleasure n minimising pain

the principle of utility: what’s good/right is based on how useful an action is: the most useful action is that which brings about ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’

the Hedonic calculus: bentham’s method of calculating the action which would bring about the ‘greatest good for the greatest number’. weighing the options available against 7 principles to predict the right outcome

quantitative: based on numbers: what’s right is what brings the highest number of people pleasure

qualitative: based on quality. what is right is what brings the highest quality of pleasure

higher n lower pleasures: mill’s categorisation of pleasures. higher are concerned with the mind and are more useful n hence more right than lower pleasures which only serve the body