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Founder of Utilitarianism
Born: 1748
Died: 1832 (age – 84)
Championed: Animals
well-being, Prison
reform, women's
equality, the abolition of
slavery, and maximum
personal freedom
Founded the University
of London
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Happiness = Pleasure (both mental and physical
Pleasure counts)
Pleasure is always, in itself, a good thing
No particular being’s pleasure or pain matters any
more or less than any others’ (Principle of Equal
Treatment)
The morally right thing to do, therefore, is that which
will produce the greatest total amount of
pleasure/happiness (Principle of Utility)
Only Consequences matter for moral evaluations.
Intentions mean nothing.
DESCRIPTIVE (HOW WE
ACT)
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Cost – How can this
hurt me?
Benefit – How might
this help me?
PRESCRIPTIVE (HOW WE
OUGHT TO ACT)
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Cost - How much pain
will this cause US
Benefit – How much
pleasure will this cause
US
CLAIMS THAT
a)
b)
c)
The morality of an action
depends only on the
consequences of the action;
nothing else matters
An actions’ consequences matter
only insofar as they involve the
greater or lesser happiness of
individuals
In the evaluation of
consequences, each individual’s
happiness gets “equal
consideration”
OBJECTIONS
a)
b)
Ignores individual rights and
freedom
Mistakenly thinks all pleasures
count the same and are all good,
and that all pain counts the same
and is equally bad
1806
– 1873
Genius
Poet
Politician
Philosopher
Lover
All around good guy
ACT (BENTHAM)
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Each situation, each
case, is judged by the
principle of utility
RULE (MILL)
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Situations, cases, are
judged by the rules. Bu
the rules are determined
by the principle of utility
Supererogatory acts
Special Obligations