<–2/”>a >Utilitarianism- J.S. Mill
Utilitarianism is a philosophical view or theory about how we should evaluate a wide range of things that involve choices that people face. Among the things that can be evaluated are actions, laws, policies, character traits, and moral codes. Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism because it rests on the idea that it is the consequences or results of actions, laws, policies, etc. that determine whether they are good or bad, right or wrong. In general, whatever is being evaluated, we ought to choose the one that will produce the best overall results. In the language of utilitarians, we should choose the option that “maximizes utility,” i.e. that action or policy that produces the largest amount of good.
Utilitarianism appears to be a simple theory because it consists of only one evaluative principle: Do what produces the best consequences. In fact, however, the theory is complex because we cannot understand that single principle unless we know (at least) three things: a) what things are good and bad; b) whose good (i.e. which individuals or groups) we should aim to maximize; and c) whether actions, policies, etc. are made right or wrong by their actual consequences (the results that our actions actually produce) or by their foreseeable consequences (the results that we predict will occur based on the evidence that we have).
John Stuart Mill argues that moral theories are divided between two distinct approaches: the intuitive and inductive schools. Although both schools agree on the existence of a single and highest normative principle (being that actions are right if they tend to promote happiness and wrong if they tend to produce the reverse of happiness), they disagree about whether we have knowledge of that principle intuitively, or inductively. Mill criticises categorical imperative, stating that it is essentially the same as utilitarianism, since it involves calculating the good or bad consequences of an action to determine the morality of that action.
Mill defines “happiness” to be both intellectual and sensual pleasure. He argues that we have a sense of dignity that makes us prefer intellectual pleasures to sensual ones. He adds that the principle of utility involves assessing an action’s consequences, and not the Motives or character traits of the agent. Mill argues that the principle of utility should be seen as a tool for generating secondary moral principles, which promote general happiness. Thus most of our actions will be judged according to these secondary principles. He feels that we should appeal directly to the principle of utility itself only when faced with a moral dilemma between two secondary principles. For example, a moral principle of charity dictates that one should feed a starving neighbour, and the moral principle of self-preservation dictates that one should feed oneself. If one does not have enough food to do both, then one should determine whether general happiness would be better served by feeding my neighbour, or feeding oneself.
Mill discusses our motivations to abide by the utilitarian standard of morality. Man is not commonly motivated to specific acts such as to kill or steal, instead, we are motivated to promote general happiness. Mill argues that there are two classes of motivations for promoting general happiness. First, there are external motivations arising from our hope of pleasing and fear of displeasing God and other humans. More importantly, there is a motivation internal to the agent, which is the feeling of duty. For Mill, an this feeling of duty consists of an amalgamation of different feelings developed over time, such as sympathy, religious feelings, childhood recollections, and self-worth. The binding force of our sense of duty is the experience of pain or remorse when one acts against these feelings by not promoting general happiness. Mill argues that duty is subjective and develops with experience. However, man has an instinctive feeling of unity, which guides the development of duty toward general happiness.
Mill’s proof for the principle of utility notes that no fundamental principle is capable of a direct proof. Instead, the only way to prove that general happiness is desirable is to show man’s desire for it. His proof is as follows: If X is the only thing desired, then X is the only thing that ought to be desired. Thus if general happiness is the only thing desired, therefore general happiness is the only thing that ought to be desired. Mill recognises the controversiality of this and therefore anticipates criticisms. A critic might argue that besides happiness, there are other things, such as virtue, which we desire. Responding to this, Mill says that everything we desire becomes part of happiness. Thus, happiness becomes a complex phenomenon composed of many parts, such as virtue, love of Money, power, and fame.,
Utilitarianism is a theory of morality that advocates actions that foster happiness or pleasure and opposes actions that cause unhappiness or harm. Jeremy Bentham, the founder of utilitarianism, defined it as “the greatest good for the greatest number.”
The principle of utility states that the right action is the one that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. This principle can be applied to a wide range of issues, from personal decisions to public policy.
The greatest happiness principle is a more specific version of the principle of utility. It states that the right action is the one that produces the most happiness for the person who is making the decision. This principle is often used in business ethics to guide decisions about how to treat customers and employees.
The hedonic calculus is a tool that can be used to calculate the amount of happiness or pleasure that an action is likely to produce. It takes into account the intensity, duration, certainty, proximity, and fecundity of the pleasure, as well as the number of people who will experience it.
There are a number of objections to utilitarianism. One objection is that it is too simplistic. It assumes that all happiness is equal, and that it is always possible to compare the happiness of different people. Another objection is that utilitarianism can lead to morally repugnant conclusions, such as the sacrifice of a few people for the greater good of the majority.
Despite these objections, utilitarianism remains a popular theory of morality. It has been used to justify a wide range of policies, from the legalization of drugs to the death penalty. It is also a common framework for thinking about ethical issues in business and medicine.
The future of utilitarianism is uncertain. It is a theory that is constantly being debated and refined. It is possible that it will become even more influential in the future, or that it will be replaced by another theory of morality. Only time will tell.
Here are some examples of how utilitarianism can be applied to real-world situations:
- A company is considering whether to produce a new product. The company could use utilitarianism to decide whether to produce the product by considering the likely benefits and harms to the company, its employees, its customers, and Society as a whole.
- A government is considering whether to raise taxes. The government could use utilitarianism to decide whether to raise taxes by considering the likely benefits and harms to taxpayers, businesses, and the government itself.
- A doctor is considering whether to perform a risky surgery. The doctor could use utilitarianism to decide whether to perform the surgery by considering the likely benefits and harms to the patient, the patient’s family, and society as a whole.
Utilitarianism is a complex and controversial theory, but it is one that has had a significant impact on our thinking about morality. It is a theory that is worth understanding, even if you do not agree with it.
What is the definition of utilitarianism?
Utilitarianism is a theory of morality that advocates actions that foster happiness or pleasure and opposes actions that cause unhappiness or harm.
What are the main principles of utilitarianism?
The main principles of utilitarianism are:
- The principle of utility: Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, and wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.
- The principle of Equality: The happiness of every individual counts equally.
- The principle of impartiality: We should not favor one person’s happiness over another’s.
What are some criticisms of utilitarianism?
Some criticisms of utilitarianism include:
- It is too simplistic. Utilitarianism can lead to morally questionable conclusions, such as the idea that it is sometimes right to sacrifice one person’s happiness for the greater good of others.
- It is too focused on the short-term. Utilitarianism can lead to decisions that are good for the moment, but bad in the long run.
- It is too subjective. What counts as happiness or pleasure is often subjective, so it can be difficult to apply utilitarianism in practice.
What are some examples of utilitarianism in practice?
Some examples of utilitarianism in practice include:
- The use of cost-benefit analysis to make decisions about public policy.
- The use of utilitarian principles to guide medical decisions.
- The use of utilitarian principles to guide business decisions.
What are some alternatives to utilitarianism?
Some alternatives to utilitarianism include:
- Deontology: A theory of morality that holds that actions are right or wrong based on their adherence to moral rules.
- Virtue ethics: A theory of morality that holds that actions are right or wrong based on whether they promote the development of good character.
- Care ethics: A theory of morality that holds that actions are right or wrong based on whether they promote the well-being of others.
Which of the following is not a principle of utilitarianism?
(A) The greatest good for the greatest number.
(B) The right action is the one that produces the most happiness.
(C) The right action is the one that follows the rules of morality.
(D) The right action is the one that is in accordance with one’s conscience.Which of the following is an example of a utilitarian argument?
(A) We should not kill people because it is wrong to kill.
(B) We should not kill people because it will make people unhappy.
(C) We should not kill people because it is against the law.
(D) We should not kill people because it is against our conscience.Which of the following is a criticism of utilitarianism?
(A) It is too simplistic.
(B) It is too difficult to determine what will produce the most happiness.
(C) It is too focused on the short-term.
(D) All of the above.Which of the following is a defense of utilitarianism?
(A) It is the most common moral theory.
(B) It is the most consistent moral theory.
(C) It is the most useful moral theory.
(D) All of the above.Which of the following is an example of a non-utilitarian moral theory?
(A) Kantianism.
(B) Virtue ethics.
(C) Deontology.
(D) All of the above.Which of the following is a criticism of Kantianism?
(A) It is too rigid.
(B) It is too focused on the individual.
(C) It is too abstract.
(D) All of the above.Which of the following is a defense of Kantianism?
(A) It is the most rigorous moral theory.
(B) It is the most universal moral theory.
(C) It is the most objective moral theory.
(D) All of the above.Which of the following is an example of a virtue ethics moral theory?
(A) Aristotle‘s ethics.
(B) Confucius’s ethics.
(C) Hinduism-2/”>Hinduism.
(D) All of the above.Which of the following is a criticism of virtue ethics?
(A) It is too vague.
(B) It is too difficult to determine what are the virtues.
(C) It is too focused on the individual.
(D) All of the above.Which of the following is a defense of virtue ethics?
(A) It is the most natural moral theory.
(B) It is the most realistic moral theory.
(C) It is the most holistic moral theory.
(D) All of the above.