...The two concepts of Act and Rule Utilitarianism were first conceived by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. They both followed the basic principles of utilitarianism, which focuses on the pursuit of happiness, which is the morally good principle to follow. Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism means that we are all free to pursue what we gain pleasure from in the way which society dictates.This allows us to pursue what we find pleasurable, for example, motor racing or drinking coffee, and removes the less morally acceptable factors such as murder or adultery. Bentham argues pleasure is the sole intrinsic good, and as “everyone to count as one and no-one as more than one” we can add up the total of pleasure minus pain and thereby service an idea of the good act. The Utility gained from each act and what would be accepted by society is calculated by what Bentham called the Hedonic Calculus. This values a score of what people think of certain acts (for example 10 for pleasurable and 1 for not pleasurable) and therefore lets society know which are the more worthwhile pursuits. Bentham’s argument is that we should be free to choose the pleasure maximising outcome, as long as we are not having negative effects on other people’s pleasure. On the other hand Mill disagreed with Betham’s Act Utilitarianism and put forward the notion of Rule Utilitarianism. This argued that the Hedonic Calculus was an absurd way of explaining rational choice and therefore it needed rules. For example meeting...
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...Jeremy Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism – Essay a) Explain how Bentham’s Utilitarianism can be used to decide the right course of action. [25] Jeremy Bentham was a British philosopher, jurist, and social reformer that developed a theory of Utilitarianism. Jeremy Bentham was particularly interested in the area of social reform during the 18th century and his theory of Utilitarianism is as a result of this passion. Bentham’s theory became to be known as Act Utilitarianism. This is because the theory was concerned with the amount of happiness and pleasure that an individual’s action causes in order to decide whether it is morally right or wrong. Utilitarianism is a teleological theory, this being as the morality is not concerned with the action itself, but rather the consequences of said action and the amount of pleasure it subsequently results in. For example, if an act results in a high amount of pleasure then it can be deemed to be morally justifiable, where as if no pleasure is created then the act would be morally unjustifiable and wrong. The rightness or wrongness of an act is determined by both the pleasure in which it creates and its utility/usefulness. Bentham said that the morality of an action can be calculated by looking at the amount of pleasure it produced; as well as using what he developed as the Hedonic Calculus. The Hedonic Calculus places a numerical value on the morality of an action, this being calculated through a number of criteria that mist be given a value...
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...The concept of utilitarianism was founded by Jeremy Bentham, and is a moral theory that emphasizes that the morally right action will produce the most good. This theory is considered to be another form of consequentialism. In laments terms, the determination of whether an act is right or wrong is based upon the effect it will result in. Another concept that is correlated with utilitarianism includes ruling utilitarianism. Both theories try to maximize happiness, and there is not one answer that is preferable to the other. Instead, we need to examine the two more complexly, allowing there to be a bilaterally multilevel approach. Act utilitarians believe decisions that need to be made should be based upon the action that will create the greatest net utility. This should also be applied on a case by case basis. The right action in any situation is the one that yields more utility. It is important to keep in mind that act utilitarianism focus on the individual actions. To act utilitarian obviously seems that maximum good will be produced. It will maximize the overall utility that is within our power by maximizing the utility of each individual action that we perform. If I choose actions that produced...
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...Explain the differences between Bentham’s and Mill’s Utilitarianism (25): Utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical theory as the consequence of an action or rule is the main principle to judge whether an action is right or wrong. Act Utilitarianism is a teleological theory which was designed by Bentham, states that the act which produces the most pleasure was the most desirable act. Rule Utilitarianism is a deontological theory which was designed by Mill, states that that the act which produces the best act is the most desirable act - – “The greatest happiness for the greatest number”. The principle of utility states that actions are right if they promote pleasure but are wrong if they bring pain – “The greatest good [pleasure]for the greatest number.” Bentham believed that all pleasures are equal. However, Mill disagreed and stated that there were lower and higher pleasures. Firstly, Bentham stated that “quantity of pleasure being equal, push-pin (a simple child’s game) is as good as poetry” – he believed that all pleasures were the same. For example, the pleasure received from listening to music would be considered to be the same as the pleasure someone may gain from murdering someone. Mill disagreed with this. He believed that pleasures are split into two categories – higher and lower pleasures. Higher pleasures were satisfaction of the mind such as listening to classical music, and lower pleasures were pleasures of the body such as eating. He reasoned that desires...
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...Utilitarianism is a theory that some people adhere to the belief that the moral significance of an action is determined by its outcome. They believe that the greatest pleasure of the greatest number of people should be the result of the action that you make which will render it morally right. Jeremy Bentham was an ionic philosopher who believed 'an act is right or good if it produces pleasure and evil if it leads to pain'. Principle of utility is the measure of the usefulness of the purpose, that any action may have. If we believe that the best or the most moral action we can perform is one that will cause consequences X or Y to come about, then utilizing the principle of utility we must assess how likely action A or B will be participating to the consequence. Prima facie obligations are conditional more duties and a persons obligations to fulfil that moral duty depending on the situation at hand, e.g. if a fathers daughter was in a life threatening situation alongside another man who has the cure to cancer, he can only save one person, the moral decision the father would take is save his daughter, however that would be wrong because the other guy has the potential to save more people. 'Greatest good for the greatest number' is a quote Bentham followed. This quote implies an action should be done if it causes happiness for the majority, for example lying is moral if it leads to future happiness. Hedonic Calculus is a theory created by Bentham...
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...Utilitarianism— A Flawed Moral Theory Utilitarianism is an ethical theory founded by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. This theory stresses the greatest happiness principle. Actions that promote happiness are seen as morally acceptable while things that fail to promote happiness are seen as morally unacceptable. The pursuit of happiness is the key concept in utilitarianism. Rachel’s further explains this idea in The Right Thing to Do, “Utilitarianism is the theory that we should always try to bring about as much happiness as possible”(Rachels, 40). The term happiness when used by Rachels means the absence of pain or the presence of pleasure. I will argue against the theory of utilitarianism simply because it is too demanding and directly conflicts with moral common sense. At first glance, utilitarianism seems like an acceptable theory. The idea of promoting happiness is simple and widely appealing. Unfortunately, utilitarianism is not as simple as it seems. The concept should be rejects as it is not morally plausible. The first objection with the theory stems from the general structure where it directly conflicts with moral common sense. Using utilitarianism, when there are two different options being considered, moral common sense is one option, while utilitarianism is the opposite option. An example of this is seen while riots occur. Suppose riots are occurring in a town because citizens are being killed by an unknown suspect. As the person in charge, there...
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...Ethical Judgments ! Utilitarianism ! An Introduction to the Moral Theories of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill Ethical philosophy differs from the sciences because it is normative or prescriptive, rather than descriptive. In other words, ethics tell us how we ought to act or what we should do, while the sciences are more likely to observe how things are in nature or society. Making Ethical Judgments Areas of Emphasis in Making Moral Judgments Purpose or Act Rule Act, Rule, Motive or Maxim Results or Consequences Making Ethical Judgments in Utilitarianism ! ! ! Utilitarianism says that the Result or the Consequence of an Act is the real measure of whether it is good or bad. This theory emphasizes Ends over Means. Theories, like this one, that emphasize the results or consequences are called teleological or consequentialist. Bentham’s Formulation of Utilitarianism ! ! ! Jeremy Bentham Man is under two great masters, pain and pleasure. The great good that we should seek is happiness. (a hedonistic perspective) Those actions whose results increase happiness or diminish pain are good. They have “utility.” 1 Jeremy Bentham’s Hedonistic Calculus ! Four Theses of Utilitarianism ! ! ! In determining the quantity of happiness that might be produced by an action, we evaluate the possible consequences by p q y applying several values: Intensity, duration, certainty or uncertainty, propinquity or remoteness, fecundity, purity,...
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...morally right or wrong. In this paper, I will explain the fascinating ethical theory of Utilitarianism and discuss about two very influential people to Utilitarianism, who are Jeremy Bentham, and John Stuart Mill. Along with discussing their contributes to this theory, I will evaluate their personal perspective on Utilitarianism and determine which is more plausible between the two. Ultimately, by doing this I will be able to support the idea that Utilitarianism is not an overall plausible ethical theory to follow. Utilitarianism is a type ethical theory from the ethical objective theory called Consequentialism. Much like in the Consequentialism theory, where morally right and wrong decisions are completely dependent on the consequences produce by an action, morality in Utilitarianism is reliant on the utility of the consequences produced by an action. Utility in this sense means the usefulness of a consequence or the benefits the consequence brings to those all affect by the action. Utilitarians have a strong focus on doing actions that produce the most good. This is due to the principle of utility, which in Utilitarianism states that an action is right if it produces the greatest possibly utility for all those affected by the action. In other words, if an action produces the most good, pleasure, for that situation then that action is right. Unlike in other ethical theories, in Utilitarianism an action is morally right only when it produce the most pleasure. According to Epicurus...
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...Explain how Bentham’s version of Utilitarianism may be used to decide on the right course of action. (25 marks) Utilitarianism is a teleological theory. It states that something is morally right if it produces pleasure and it’s morally wrong if it produce pain. The principle of Utility refers to the greatest amount of pleasure or happiness for the greatest number of people. According to Bentham, most moral acts are those that maximise pleasure and minimise pain. An action is correct according to Bentham if it gives higher quantity of happiness. Jeremy Bentham’s principle of utility states that ‘greatest happiness for the greatest number.’ Bentham stated that human being is governed by two sovereign masters: pain and pleasure. By pleasure he means the benefits, advantage, goodness and happiness. By pain Bentham refers to evil and unhappiness. An example of this will be childbirth. During the period of pregnancy and throughout the labour the mother goes through different level of pain. However, the result is pleasure as baby is born. This not only brings happiness to the mother, also to a greater amount of people especially the family members. The greatest happiness is given to greatest number. Bentham said: ‘Nature has placed us under the governance of two sovereign master, pain and pleasure. An act is right if it delivers more pleasure than pain and wrong if it brings about more pain than pleasure.’ This approach of Bentham can be used to decide on the right course of...
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...Outline important concepts of Utilitarianism. (21) Utilitarianism is a theory which denotes actions that are right and wrong from there consequences. There are three types of Utilitarianism, act, rule and preference. Act Utilitarianism was initially developed by the theorist and psychological hedonist, Jeremy Bentham who believed that our main aim in life was to achieve 'happiness' and avoid 'pain'. He wanted to produce a different approach to moral decision making to suit the advancing society of the industrial age and argued that "natural rights is simple nonsense".This principle focuses on the individual action and the consequences that come with it. His moral rule was the 'Principle of Utility' which clearly stated that we should aim to achieve the 'greatest good for the greatest number', therefore he equated moral goodness with happiness. Bentham then created the 'hedonic calculus' to measure happiness and show the process for making moral decisions; it included seven key criteria: intensity, duration, certainty, extent, remoteness, richness and purity. Overall, the calculus gave the principle reason and allowed people to understand what was classed as a morally correct act in terms of 'happiness'. Considering the consequences of an action is a sensible approach which is not outgrown by society as it's flexible and can be applied to any situation under any circumstances; however, the fact that it is so flexible and that there are very few solid rules means that it's...
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...Utilitarianism. Jeremy Bentham 1748-1832 It a teleological ethic, and a consequentialist approach as whether an action is right or wrong it doesn’t matter the consequences are most important. Background. Created by Jeremy Bentham, he was born in London at a time of great change. He was born in the eighteenth century. It was a time of great depression, alcoholism and violence plague the streets you can see this in gin lane. Jeremy Benthem saw humans were guided by two main motivations pain and pleasure. 'nature has placed mankind under the governess of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure it is from them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as determine what we shall do' this ethic is hedonistic, as it strives to obtain maximum pleasure. Pleasure is as the sole good and pain the sole evil. Principle of utility for utilitarianism is the greatest good for the greatest number. This is hard to calculate as happiness is relative and different to all. So Jeremy Bentham created a quantitative method via the hedonic calculus. It has seven factors: intensity- how deep or superficial the happiness is duration- how temporary or permanent the happiness is certainty- how sure the happiness is propinquity- how near or remote the happiness is fecundity-how likely the happiness is to recur or lead to further happiness purity- how free from pain the happiness is extent- how far the happiness,giving effects of action will spread. This can be obviously...
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...Act Utilitarianism Act Utilitarianism defines moral right and wrong in terms of specific acts. To determine the right action for a particular situation, we must consider our possible choices of action and determine which choice would produce the greatest overall utility in its outcome. In assessing an act’s effects or outcome, we must consider both the utility and disutility as these relate to the scope, which includes all those directly or indirectly affected by the act, the duration or length of time of each effect, the intensity or strength of each resulting experience and the probability of each effect Act Utilitarianism has several advantages. It is objective, giving a single answer to moral problems without creating more problems and offering a kind of scientific approach to ethics. It is also impartial in that it does not distinguish between individuals. It allows for flexibility based on circumstances, and it has important implications for the moral treatments of animals. Act Utilitarianism, however, encounters several objections. These include the calculation problem, meaning it is difficult to accurately predict and evaluate all possible consequences in terms of scope, intensity, duration, and probability. The moral saints problem, which places heavy moral demands upon us. Everything becomes a matter of moral importance, including our choice of clothing. The moral permissiveness objection, as it can approve any sort of action, breaking promises...
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...Morality (from the Latin moralitas "manner, character, proper behavior") is the differentiation of intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are distinguished as proper and those that are improper.[1] Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from acode of conduct from a particular philosophy, religion, or culture, or it can derive from a standard that a person believes should be universal.[2] Morality may also be specifically synonymous with "goodness" or "rightness." Moral philosophy includes moral ontology, or the origin of morals, as well as moral epistemology, or knowledge about morals. Different systems of expressing morality have been proposed, including deontological ethical systems which adhere to a set of established rules, and normative ethical systems which consider the merits of actions themselves. An example of normative ethical philosophy is the Golden Rule, which states that: "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself."[3] Immorality is the active opposition to morality (i.e. opposition to that which is good or right), while amorality is variously defined as an unawareness of, indifference toward, or disbelief in any set of moral standards or principles. An initial naïve attempt at a descriptive definition of “morality” might take it to refer to the most important code of conduct put forward by a society and accepted by the members of that society. But the existence of large and heterogeneous societies raises...
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...Situation Ethics * Situation ethics was most famously championed by Joseph Fletcher (1905-1991). * He believed that we should follow the rules until we need to break them for reasons of love. * It is based on agape love (Christian unconditional love), and says that we should always do the most loving thing in any situation. * Fletcher rejected following rules regardless (legalism) and also the idea that we should not have any rules (antinomianism) and said that we need to find a balance between the two. Four working principles When establishing his version of Situation Ethics, Fletcher used four key principles which he aimed to fulfil in writing his theory: 1. Pragmatism (it has to work in daily life - it must be practical) 2. Relativism (there should be no fixed rules) 3. Positivism (it must put faith before reasoning – "I am a Christian, so what should I do?") 4. Personalism (people should be at the centre of the theory) Six Fundamental Principles There are six fundamental things that underlie Fletcher's Situation Ethics: 1. Love is the only absolute (it is intrinsically good) 2. Christian decision making is based on love 3. Justice is love distributed 4. Love wants the good for anyone, whoever they are 5. Only the end justifies the means 6. Love is acted out situationally not prescriptivally Advantages of Situation Ethics The key advantage is that it uses rules to provide a framework but allows people to break rules to reflect life's complexities...
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...PHIL 1 1 May 2013 Utilitarianism: Ethics Many people in this generation are living a media influenced lifestyle based on having “no regrets” and not taking into account the effects their irresponsible behavior may result in. The world would turn into pure chaos if people lived with “no regrets,” each individual must live and know their regrets; a person should learn and build off of the mistakes that either they or someone else has made in the past. John Stuart Mill’s ethical theory of Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism, which means by observing similar past events people are able to predict what may happen in their future. As a result of learning from past events a person would therefore be able to make a choice that would bring maximum utility in future occasions. "Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure" (p.412). Mill believes that looking at the motives behind an action are needed to find the source of why a certain choice was made, but the source does not always explain the action, because even though a person may be good morally they may do a wrongful action, even though they may or may not have been acting with the best of motives. However, that person can always get maximum utility (happiness) if it follows the theory of utilitarianism. Ignorance is not always...
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