5

Ethical theories
5.8 What is it that everybody wants?
In this topic you will learn about Benthams Principle of
Utility and his theory of Utilitarianism.

ACTIVITY

A01

Bentham thought you could.

He lived in a time of major
scientific advances, and in
his opinion pleasure was
not something abstract, but
measurable. He devised a
chart to quantify the pain
or pleasure caused by an
action. It is called the Hedonic
Calculus.

Display Benthams words

in a diagrammatic form, or
if you prefer, paraphrase
and annotate.

ACTIVITY

A01ls
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Devise a snakes and

ladders game based
on Benthams theory
of Utilitarianism. Or
you could plan a game
involving cards with
questions, or situations,
requiring Utilitarian
solutions.

FOR DEBATE

A02ls
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The only good is

pleasure. The only
evil is pain. Do
you consider this
a valid statement? How
useful would it be as a
yardstick for measuring
actions?

key word
Principle of Utility:
Benthams belief that the
right course of action is
that which brings the
greatest happiness to the
greatest number.

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By the principle of utility is meant that property of any object, whereby it

tends to produce benefit, advantage, pleasure, good, or happiness (all this in
the present case comes to the same thing) or (what comes again to the same
thing) to prevent the happening of mischief, pain, evil, or unhappiness to the
party whose interest is considered: if that party be the community in general,
the happiness of the community: if a particular individual, then the happiness
of that individual.

Can you measure pleasure?

sk ills

This is called the Pleasure Beach at Blackpool. What concept is behind the
name of this place? How valid is that?
The search to understand the way in which we arrive at ethical judgments
about behaviour led philosopher Jeremy Bentham (17481832) to this
conclusion:
Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters,
pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well
as to determine what we shall do.
You will notice that Bentham has removed goodness as being something
inherent in an action. What he is looking at is the outcome of an action.
Bentham is described as a hedonist, which means someone who dedicates
their life to the search for pleasure. The Hedonists were a group of ancient
Greeks who sought true pleasure which has no pain in it. Twenty-first century
society is frequently described as hedonistic but this is different because
alcohol and consumerism often have painful consequences.

Pleasure or pain?
Bentham said that when anyone has to decide on a right or wrong course
of action, they ask themselves: What is the most useful thing to do in this
situation? What they are actually weighing up is which path will lead them to
the greatest pleasure. He called this the Principle of Utility:

Religious ethics

Intensity of pleasure.
Duration of pleasure.
How certain is it that
pleasure will result?
How near is the pleasure to
you?
How continuous is the
pleasure?
Is there likely to be pain
mixed with this pleasure?
How widespread will the
pleasure be?

The strengths of Benthams Utilitarianism

KEY WORD
Hedonic Calculus:
Benthams method of
measuring the good and
bad effects of an action.

ACTIVITY

A02ls
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Choose two
different activities
5.7
(e.g. having a
tattoo, studying for
A levels) and apply
Benthams Hedonic
Calculus to them. How
useful is it as a measure?
Is that the outcome you
agree with? Try working
through some common
examples in the group
then compare results
to find out whether the
responses are common or
individual.

STRETCH &
CHALLENGE

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It is vain to talk of the

interest of the community,
without understanding
what is the interest of the
individual. How could
Bentham use Utilitarian
ethics to create laws?

It provides a clear, mathematical method of deciding any course of action

by balancing pleasure and pain which makes it easy to compare different
options.
It is a popular approach to ethics because people do seek pleasure and
avoid pain.
It looks at the consequences of an action.
Common sense is involved, this ethical code is accessible to everyone.
Can you spot its weaknesses?

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