Lecture Notes: Utilitarianism and Cost-Benefit Analysis

Introduction

• Discussion of the Queen versus Dudley and Stephens case (cannibalism at sea)
• Utilitarian philosophy of Jeremy Bentham
  • Born in England, 1748
  • Went to Oxford at 12, law school at 15
  • Admitted to the bar at 19 but chose moral philosophy

Bentham's Utilitarianism

• Main idea: Maximize general welfare or collective happiness
• Pain and pleasure as the sovereign masters
• Principle: Greatest good for the greatest number
  • Happiness or utility should be maximized
  • Applies to individuals, communities, legislators
  • Policy decisions should maximize balance of happiness over suffering

Cost-Benefit Analysis

• Common practice used by companies and governments
• Example: Philip Morris and smoking in the Czech Republic
  • Found financial gain for the government from smoking
  • Controversy over placing dollar value on human life

Case Studies

• Ford Pinto Case

  • Cost-benefit analysis on fuel tank safety
  • Calculated costs vs. benefits of safety device
  • Public outrage over valuation of human life

• Cell Phone Use by Drivers

  • Cost-benefit analysis of banning cell phone use
  • Debate over placing value on life vs. economic benefits

Objections to Utilitarianism

• Critique of utilitarianism’s failure to respect individual/minority rights
  • Example: Historical cases of minority rights violations
• Aggregating utility - are all values commensurable?
  • Thorndike’s survey in the 1930s

John Stuart Mill's Response

• Mill's attempt to refine utilitarianism
  • Addressed concerns about higher vs. lower pleasures
  • Emphasized respecting individual rights
• Method of distinguishing higher pleasures
  • Preference of those experienced in both

Experiment: Higher vs. Lower Pleasures

• Comparison of cultural experiences (Shakespeare, Fear Factor, The Simpsons)
• Debate over cultural preferences and societal influence on value judgment

Conclusion

• Bentham’s legacy and utilitarian principles
• Preservation of Bentham’s body as a philosophical statement
• Preview of future discussions on rights and justice

Interactive Element

• Opportunity for students to engage online at Justiceharvard.org