Phil 103 Utilitarianism

Kant's Ethics
- Centered on the categorical imperative.
- Two Main Formulations:
  - "Act only upon that maxim which you could simultaneously will as a universal law" (no exceptions).
  - "Treat people as ends in themselves, and never as a mere means alone" (no exploitation).
- Separation of ethics from desires; actions must reflect a good moral will.
- Ethical actions arise from respect for the categorical imperative.
- Rejection leads to unethical actions stemming from an ethically poor will.
Other Formulations of Categorical Imperative:
- Kingdom of Ends: acting as if one is a legislator for the good.
- Influences from Rousseau emphasizing rational goodwill over compassion.

Transition to Utilitarian Philosophy:
- Developed post-Kant with Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), preceded by Kant’s works.
- Utilitarianism describes a normative approach aimed at maximizing happiness.
Utilitarianism Basics:
- Ethics revolves around maximizing good (happiness/pleasure).
- Shift away from hypothetical social contracts to a direct approach focused on actions and their consequences (goodness increase vs. decrease).

Nature of Pleasure:
- Hedonistic Basis: Emphasizes pleasure/happiness as the ultimate goal.
- Bentham's emphasis on actions leading to happiness or pleasure for oneself and others.
Intrinsic vs. Instrumental Value:
- Intrinsic Value: Pleasure/happiness is valuable for its own sake.
- Instrumental Value: Other things (like money or tools) are valued for their utility in achieving pleasure.
Universalism and Impartiality:
- Pleasure is considered objectively valuable regardless of personal interests.
- Focus is on maximizing overall happiness for the greatest number of people.

Act vs. Rule Utilitarianism:
- Act Utilitarianism: Evaluates each action individually based on its potential to produce pleasure.
- Rule Utilitarianism: Considers classes of actions and the overall utility of following certain rules.

Issues with Hedonism:
- Are all pleasures equal (e.g., heroin high vs. contemplation)?
- Are pleasures grounded in reality essential, as illustrated by Nozick's 'experience machine'?
Transplant Issue:
- Ethical dilemma where sacrificing one for the benefit of many raises moral questions.
- Bentham’s perspective may justify unethical outcomes if action maximizes pleasure.

Further Developments:
- Mill’s Rule Utilitarianism considers quality of pleasures, not just quantity.
- Introduces the idea of higher pleasures (e.g., intellectual pursuits over mere physical pleasure).
- Suggests preferences of those who have experienced both types of pleasures determine worthiness.

Evolution Beyond Classic Utilitarianism:
- Evaluates actions based on the preferences people hold, including those after informed rationality.
- Economically inclined approaches to ethics discussed, but caution against undue prioritization of faulty preferences.

Ethical Assignments:
- Upcoming assignment involves applying Kantianism and Utilitarianism to a practical scenario (e.g., Batman and Joker dilemma).
- Encouragement to explore which ethical theory provides better guidance in the situation at hand.
- Connection to final signature assignment: application of ethical theories to personal scenarios.