Lecture Notes on Utilitarianism and Moral Philosophy

Introduction

• The lecture discusses utilitarianism, focusing on the philosophy of Jeremy Bentham.
• Utilitarianism is the idea of maximizing the general welfare or happiness by balancing pleasure over pain.

Jeremy Bentham

• Born in England in 1748, he studied at Oxford and later law.
• Bentham's principle: The highest morality is to maximize the overall balance of pleasure over pain, known as utility.
• The principle of "the greatest good for the greatest number."

Utilitarian Logic in Practice

• Cost-benefit analysis: assigning monetary value to costs and benefits.
• Example: Philip Morris in the Czech Republic analyzing the financial benefits of smoking despite health costs.
• Example: The Ford Pinto case, where a cost-benefit analysis led to not installing a safety device due to calculated costs versus benefits.

Criticisms of Utilitarianism

1. Valuation of Human Life
   • Challenges in placing a monetary value on human life.
   • Example: Debates on acceptable dollar values in cost-benefit analyses.
2. Minority Rights
   • Concerns about the lack of protection for minority rights under utilitarianism.
   • Utilitarianism might ignore individual rights for the collective good.
3. Aggregation of Values
   • Debates over whether all values can be measured uniformly, often in monetary terms.
   • Example: Preposterous comparisons of value in Thorndike's survey.

John Stuart Mill's Response

• Mill attempted to humanize utilitarianism by distinguishing between higher and lower pleasures.
• Proposed that people who experience both would naturally prefer higher pleasures.
• Defends individual rights as significant for long-term social utility.

Experiment and Discussion

• Comparison of different forms of entertainment (Shakespeare vs. The Simpsons vs. Fear Factor) to discuss higher vs. lower pleasures.
• Mixed opinions on whether utilitarian frameworks can adequately distinguish between these.

Conclusion

• Utilitarianism remains debated with respect to its implications on rights and measurements of pleasure.
• Introduction to John Stuart Mill's modifications as precursors to modern debates.
• Discussion on Bentham's philosophy in practice, including his embalming for educational purposes.

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Study Questions:

1. What are the main criticisms of utilitarianism discussed in the lecture?
2. How does John Stuart Mill propose to address these criticisms?
3. Reflect on the ethical implications of cost-benefit analysis in terms of human life.

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Further Reading:

• Jeremy Bentham's works on utilitarianism.
• John Stuart Mill's "Utilitarianism" and "On Liberty."