Utilitarianism is consequentalist ethical theory. When an action is judged entirely on the utility. So an action would be determined on the outcome and the consequences. In utilitarianism the utility of an action is decided on how much pleasure and happiness is gained from it, so it is about maximising happiness as much as possible rather than gaining pain and sadness. The two most well known utilitarian’s are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill.
Summary of Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a teleological theory as it looks at the consequences which also makes it a consequentialist theory. It focuses on the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Jeremy Bentham, one of the main ethicists that who believed in utilitarianism, believed that happiness is the greatest good. He defined happiness as pleasure minus pain. John Stuart Mill was a hedonist and accepted that happiness was of great importance and stressed that happiness is more important than pleasure.
Assess Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a consequentialist approach to ethics, meaning the consequences of an act are what matters. The utilitarian answer as to what to do in any situation is that we should always act to maximise utility. There are two different interpretations of utilitarianism; the positive being that we ought to do that which brings about the greatest happiness of the greatest number and the negative being that we ought to do that which minimises pain or suffering. Utilitarianism is teleological, or goal orienteered, meaning that the end matters more than the means used to achieve the end. The various forms present two major problems; the problem of justice, and the issue of having to predict the consequences of an action.
He also added that people also have “social sentiments”, which is feelings that connect us with other people and make us concerned about their welfare as well. And therefore, Hume stated that we measure right and wrong by the true interest of humanity. Utilitarianism is a principle that we ought to do whatever will produce the greatest happiness. It is a combination of three ideas: First, the morality of action solely depends on its consequences. Second, we should do whatever will cause the most happiness or least unhappiness.
“Utility is found in everything which contributes to the happiness of every rational being” (Utilitarian Philosophy, 2010). In very simplistic terms, utilitarianism can be described as the balancing of good outcomes over harmful ones for greatest number of people. In other words, it is the greatest happiness for the greatest number of individuals (LaGrone, 2015). The concept of utilitarianism emphasizes the fact that a human being’s actions are right when they increase the good. In one of the abstracts in Bentham’s Principles of Morality and Legislation, Bentham states that the judgement or criterion of good and evil is balanced between the happiness of individuals and the happiness of the community (Utilitarian Philosophy, 2010).
Explain how Bentham and mill used to differ ways of measuring pleasure? (30) Hedonistic calculus is a method of working out the sum total of pleasure and pain produced by an act, and the total value of its consequences. When determining what action is right in a given situation, we should consider the pleasures and pains resulting from it, and having to stay in respect of their intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity and extent. We should next consider the alternative courses of action, this method will determine which act has the best tendency, and meaning is right. Bentham’s Hedonic Calculus is used to choose between two courses of action.
That is, living a moral life by accessing God’s will through reason and employing it through the practice of virtues. Locke argues that such an imperative ability to use reason is only unlocked when exposed to pleasure and pain, hence, the hedonistic intent maintained by addicts is foundational in the development of a moral compass. Of course, that is not to say drug use is an ethical way of doing so. Yet, under this perverse argument, the self-condoning of drug use could be understood. Via the same logic, drug craving is an addiction that aims to heighten self-esteem and thereby uphold human sociality which fosters the common good and therefore goodness, justifying it as a “habitual and firm disposition to do good” (CCC 1803) – a virtue.
It moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of others. In this essay I will examine the Ethical Theory of Utility, its background and its influence upon society to determine if Utilitarianism can be expressed in the phrase “ The greatest good for the greatest number.” U·til·i·tar·i·an·ism 1 [Columbia Encyclopedia] Noun: • The doctrine that actions are right if they are useful or for the benefit of a majority. • The doctrine that an action is right insofar as it promotes happiness, and that the greatest happiness of the greatest number should be... Background Jeremy Bentham was the father of Utilitarianism, he was of the left liberal view, influenced by the French revolution and by many enlightenment thinkers, especially empiricists such as John Locke and David Hume.
He also includes its "fecundity" (will more of the same follow?) and its "purity" (its pleasure won't be followed by pain & vice versa). In considering actions that affect numbers of people, we must also account for its EXTENT. John Stuart Mill adjusted the more hedonistic tendencies in Bentham's philosophy by emphasizing (1) It is not the quantity of pleasure, but the quality of happiness that is central to utilitarianism, (2) the calculus is unreasonable -- qualities cannot be quantified (there is a distinction between 'higher' and 'lower' pleasures), and (3) utilitarianism refers to "the Greatest Happiness Principle" -- it seeks to promote the capability of achieving happiness (higher pleasures) for the most amount of people (this is its "extent"). Act and Rule Utilitarianism We can apply the principle of utility to either PARTICULAR ACTIONS or GENERAL RULES.
All actions are related to an underlying principle. Kantian thought supports the idea that the actions are justified by a set of rules outlined in Kantianism. Utilitarianism is based on the idea of a greater good. Positive and negative consequences are quantified and the most positive consequence for the greatest amount of people is chosen, sometimes at the expense of others. For utilitarian school of thought, an individual strives to do the most good, even at the expense of the minority.