Overview
This lecture covers consequentialist ethics, focusing on utilitarianism, its key features, calculation challenges, variations, strengths and weaknesses, and practical application in ethical decision-making.
Consequentialist Theories Overview
- Consequentialist ethics judge actions by their outcomes, not by motives or inherent morality.
- The core idea is that the right action produces the best overall consequences.
Utilitarianism Basics
- Utilitarianism is the primary form of consequentialism, advocating maximizing happiness and minimizing suffering.
- The principle of utility states actions are right if they promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
- Jeremy Bentham introduced the quantitative approach to measuring pleasure and pain.
Calculating Consequences
- Utilitarians attempt to quantify happiness and suffering using a "hedonic calculus."
- Key calculation issues include determining what counts as happiness and whose happiness matters.
- Not all consequences are easily measured, especially when values conflict.
John Stuart Mill’s Contributions
- John Stuart Mill refined utilitarianism, emphasizing the quality, not just the quantity, of pleasures.
- Mill distinguished between higher (intellectual) and lower (physical) pleasures.
Act vs. Rule Utilitarianism
- Act utilitarianism assesses each action individually by its consequences.
- Rule utilitarianism assesses actions by whether they follow rules that usually produce the best outcomes.
Criticisms and Challenges
- Utilitarianism can conflict with justice and individual rights when sacrificing one for many.
- It can require ignoring personal relationships or special duties to maximize happiness.
- It is difficult to accurately predict all consequences and who is affected.
- Tallying happiness often varies depending on personal biases and perspectives.
Practical Applications
- Utilitarianism is applied in ethical debates like animal testing, focusing on weighing benefits and harms.
- When using utilitarian reasoning, consider all stakeholders and use structured exercises to compare outcomes.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Consequentialism — ethical theory judging actions by their outcomes.
- Utilitarianism — consequentialist theory aiming for the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
- Principle of utility — the rule that actions are right if they maximize overall happiness.
- Hedonic calculus — Bentham's method of quantifying pleasure and pain.
- Act utilitarianism — evaluates individual actions based on their consequences.
- Rule utilitarianism — evaluates actions based on adherence to rules that produce good outcomes.
- Higher/lower pleasures — Mill’s distinction between intellectual and physical forms of pleasure.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice applying utilitarian reasoning to a real or hypothetical ethical issue.
- Review Bentham’s and Mill’s writings on utilitarianism for deeper understanding.
- Prepare examples of act vs. rule utilitarianism for discussion.