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5244124
Utilitarianism
Description
Mind map on the Utilitarianism system of Ethics based on Jeremy Bentham and J.S Mill and its extensions. AS level Philosophy and Ethics
No tags specified
as philosophy and ethics
utilitarianism
ethics
jeremy bentham
john stuart mill
peter singer
quantitive
hedonic calculus
quality
rule utilitarianism
act utilitarianism
happiness
mill
as level
as ethics
ethics
as - level
Mind Map by
ELeanor Turner
, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by
ELeanor Turner
over 8 years ago
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Resource summary
Utilitarianism
An action is good if the consequences are favourable
What is right and wrong will depend on the circumastances
Relativist
An act is right if it produces more pleasure than pain
Principle of utility
Each is to count for one
Egalitarian
Bentham
Quantitive
Concerns himself with the number of people satisfied
Hedonic Calculus
Way of measuring pain and pleasure
Animals count too as they can feel pain and pleasure
Seven elements
Intensity
Is it intense or only mildly pleasurable?
Duration
How long will the happiness last?
Certainty
Is it possible it might not happen?
Remoteness/Propinquity
How close is it to me?
Fecundity
Might it breed more happiness?
Purity
Is it tainted with other considerations?
Extent
Will it affect others close to me?
Associated with act utilitarianism
Principle of utility is applied to each individual case
Mill
Extension of the ideas of Bentham
Concerned about tyranny of the majority
Bentham regarded pushpin 'as good as poetry'
Majority overpowers the minority
Could justify throwing christians to the lions
Better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied
Better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied
Argued for individual happiness
Animals are not significant to Mill as humans clearly enjoy higher pleasures
Criticised as it is difficult to know what is a higher or base pleasure
Someone who has experience and knowledge of both should define the higher and lower pleasures
As they can define the pain/pleasure the action causes
Competent Judge
Mill argues for sovereignty (autonomy) and dignity
The Harm Principle
Individuals can make their own choices if it is not harming anyone else but themselves
E.g. individual should be allowed to smoke in private, it is up to him
Actions of individuals should only be limited to prevent the harm of other individuals
Mill would agree with voluntary euthanasia
Qualitative
Concerns himself with the quality of the happiness rather than the quantity
Roger Crisp
Haydn and the immortal oyster
If measuring quantity of happiness
The immortal oyster would score higher as he lives for longer
If measuring quality of happiness
Haydn would score higher as he has a higher quality of happiness even though he only lives for 70 years
Example of speed restriction on Lake Windermere
Water sport is a base pleasure
Enjoyment of nature and tranquility is a higher pleasure
Therefore they are more significant when making the decision
More deontological
Rules help us do what is right
Rights should be protected by the law
Referred to as a rule utilitarian
However, in order to save a life Mill does argue it may be necessary to kidnap a doctor
Therefore making him a soft rule utilitarian
Preference Utilitarianism
Doesn't concern itself with calculating happiness
Concerns itself with best interests of people and animals
Animals must count equally
They feel pleasure and pain
Animals are more sentient than an embryo
Considering humans to be more significant is speciesist
Trade offs
Compromise our own self interests to relieve the suffering of the majority
Peter Singer's example of the Battery farmed chickens
Consumers should be willing to be a little more to relieve the suffering of the chickens
Example of the dam built in wilderness
Dam provides jobs and clean energy
But habitats will be destroyed
If there was a trade off the dam would not be built
Important to preserve wildness for the future generations
Peter Singer
Make decisions about the welfare of other beings, then we will have a good life
Toddler in the pond
If child was drowning in a pond
We would sacrifice our expensive shoes to jump in and save them
Surely instead we could not buy the expensive shoes
And instead donate that cost to charity
Argues for infanticide
Sanctity of life is outdated and causes more suffering
We would put an animal out of their suffering so why not a human life?
Considers abortion as swapping one life for another
His vegetarianism
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