CHAPTER 2

UTILITARIANISM ‘-

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 WHAT IS UTILITARIANISM?

• It is an ethical theory that argues that the goodnes of pleasure

and the determination of right behavior is based on the
usefulness of the actions consequences.
‘-
• It claims that “ones action and behavior are GOOD in as much as
they are directed toward the experience of the greatest pleasure
over pain for the greatest number of persons.”

• It comes from the root word “UTILITY”, which refers to the

USEFULNESS of the consequences of one’s action and behavior.
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Other definition:

 Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that determines right from

wrong by focusing on outcomes. It is a form of
consequentialism.
‘-
 CONSEQUENTIALISM - Consequentialism is the
branch of ethics that holds that the rightness or
wrongness of an action is dependent on its results.
Hence, to a consequential moralist, an action can only
be said to be morally right when its consequences are
good. Otherwise, it will be immoral.
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Other definition:

Of course, utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism

because it also focuses on the results ‘- of an action before
determining its morality. In fact, just like consequentialists,
utilitarians believe that an action is considered being moral if it
benefits the highest number of people involved. In both,
satisfaction is accomplished in case people are contented with an
action (Solomon, R.C., 2009).

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 UTILITARIANISM

 Utilitarianism holds that what’s ethical (or moral) is whatever

maximizes TOTAL happiness while minimizing total pain.
‘-
- The word TOTAL is important here: if you act ethically
according to utilitarianism, you’re not maximizing your happiness,
but the total happiness of the whole human race.

- The main idea of utilitarian ethics is: secure the greatest good
for the greatest number.
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 UTILITARIANISM

 It is the only moral framework that can be used to justify military

force or war. ‘-

 However, because we cannot predict the future, it’s difficult to

know with certainty whether the consequences of our actions will
be good or bad. This is one of the limitations of utilitarianism.

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Limitation of UTILITARIANISM

 Utilitarianism also has trouble accounting for values such as justice

and individual rights
example:
Assume a hospital has four people ‘-whose lives depend upon
receiving organ transplants: a heart, lungs, a kidney, and a liver. If a
healthy person wanders into the hospital, his organs could be
harvested to save four lives at the expense of one life. This would
arguably produce the greatest good for the greatest number. But few
would consider it an acceptable course of action, let alone the most
ethical one.
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Limitation of UTILITARIANISM

‘- the most reason-based

 So, although utilitarianism is arguably
approach to determining right and wrong, it has obvious
limitations.

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Limitation of UTILITARIANISM

Another example:

the Trolley Problem

‘-
Imagine there is a trolley heading toward a group of 5 workers on the
tracks. You are sitting in a control center several miles away, and you
have a button that can switch the trolley onto another track where
there’s only 1 worker. If you flip the switch, one person will die. If you
do nothing, 5 people will die. Should you flip the switch?

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Limitation of UTILITARIANISM

In surveys, most people in America and Britain say yes. 1 death

is better than 5 deaths, so if you have to ‘-choose, you should try to
minimize the loss of life by flipping the switch. This is an example of
utilitarian reasoning.

*In other cultures, people think about the problem differently.

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Types of Utilitarianism

There are basically two branches of utilitarianism. They both agree

that the goal of ethics is to maximize happiness. But they disagree on
where that decision should be applied:
‘-
1. Act Utilitarianism argues that we should always choose our
actions based on what will cause the greatest amount of happiness.

2. Rule Utilitarianism argues that we should figure out what

sort of behavior usually causes happiness, and turn it into a set of
rules.
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Types of Utilitarianism

Example:
Take the example of a judge sending a murderer to prison. Say the
judge knows the convict will not commit any more violent crimes,
‘-
and wants to be lenient based on this knowledge (maybe the convict
is very old or terminally ill). The judge knows that this will make the
convict very happy, not to mention their family and friends. Imagine
that the victim’s family has forgiven the convict and will not feel
pain as a result of this decision.

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Types of Utilitarianism

Should the judge let the convict go?

Act utilitarinism says yes, because this maximizes happiness while

causing no future pain in this case. ‘-

But rule utilitarianism says no, because in general, convicts must be

punished for their crimes, even if there is no chance that they will
commit future crimes. The judge should follow the rules, according
to this argument, even if in this particular case the rule isn’t
necessary.
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Two Foremost Utilitarian Thinkers

Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)

 John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)
Born on February 15, 1748. He
Born
‘- on May 20, 1806. He was
was the teacher of James Mill, Father of
the son of James Mill, a student, friend,
John Stuart Mill. He first wrote about
and disciple of Jeremy Betham. He was
the greatest happiness principle of
known for his long essay entitled
ethics. He was an advocate of
“Utilitarianism” in 1861.
economic freedom, women’s right, and
the separation of church and state,
abolition of slavery, death penalty, and
corporal punishment for children.
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PRINCIPLES OF UTILITARIANISM

 1. Principle of Utility ‘-

Jeremy Bentham begins by arguing that our actions are governed by two
“sovereign masters” – PLEASURE and PAIN – which are given to us by nature to
help us determine what is good or bad and what ought to be done and not.

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PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY

• is about our subjection to these souvereign matters : Pleasure and Pain. It has
two sides that explain:

1. The principle refers to the motivation of our actions as guided by our

avoidance of pain and our desire for pleasure. It is ‘-like saying that in our every day
actions, we do what is pleasurable and we do not do what is painful.

2. The principle also refers to pleasure as good if, and only if, they produce
more happiness than unhappiness. This means that it is not enough to experience
pleasure, but to also inquire whether the things we do make us happier.

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PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY

 Having identified the tendency for pleasure and the avoidance of pain as the
principle of utility, Betham equates happiness with pleasure.

 Mill supports Bentham principle of utility. ‘-He reiterates moral good as

happiness and, consequently, happiness as pleasure.

• Mill clarifies that what makes people happy is Intended Pleasure, and what
makes people unhappy is the Privation of Pleasure.
• He stated that the things that produce happiness are good; whereas, those
that produce unhappiness and pain are bad.

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PRINCIPLE OF THE GREATEST NUMBER

 States that equating happiness with pleasure doesnt aim to describe the
utilitarian moral agent alone and independently ‘-from others.

 This is not only about individual’s pleasure, regardless of how high, intellectual,
or in ways noble it is, but it is also about the pleasure of the greatest number
affected by consequences of our actions, according to John Stuart Mill.

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PRINCIPLE OF THE GREATEST NUMBER

 Utilitarianism cannot lead to selfish acts. It is neither about our pleasure nor
happiness alone. It cannot be all about us:

• If we are the only ones who are made ‘-happy by our actions, then we
cannot be morally good. In this sense, utilitarianism is not dismissive of
sacrifices that produce more happiness for others.

• Therefore, it is necessary for us to consider evryone’s happiness,

including our own as standards by which we evaluate what is moral.

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PRINCIPLE OF THE GREATEST NUMBER

 It implies that utilitarianism is not at all separate from liberal social practices that
aim to improve the quality of life for all persons.

 Utilitarianism is interested with evreyone’s happiness,

‘- in fact, the greatest
happiness of the greatest number. Eradication of disease using technology, and
other practical ways are examples of it.
 Utilitarianism is interested with with the best consequence for the highest
number of people. It is not interested with the intention of the agent.
Meaning, moral value cannot be recognized in the intention or the
motivation of the person doing the act; it is based solely and exclusively on
the difference it makes on the world’s total amount of pleasure or pain.
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 UTILITY vs. GREATEST NUMBER

PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY:

The principle of utility states that actions or behaviors are right in so far as they
promote happiness or pleasure, wrong as they tend to produce unhappiness or pain.
So even if it would cause greater happiness, you shouldn't do it if it would cause pain.
‘-
EXAMPLE:

A serial killer who causes his victims great pain, is about to cut up his latest victim. If
you were to kill the serial killer, it would cause him much pain, but the overall
amount of happiness would be greater if you killed him. Doesn't matter according to
the principle of utility, because causing pain is bad, so you should not kill the serial
killer.
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 UTILITY vs. GREATEST NUMBER

--->> In terms of numbers:

10% pain to kill serial killer ‘-

90% pleasure to victim if not murdered

= BAD to kill serial killer, because you are

still causing pain.

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 UTILITY vs. GREATEST NUMBER

GREATEST HAPPINESS:

The greatest happiness principle, is the greatest overall happiness no matter what,
even if it would cause pain in order to serve the greater overall happiness.
‘-
EXAMPLE:

An alien race who thrives on causing pain to humans comes to earth, and by
causing the most pain to humans, overall, there would be more happiness to the
alien race, so then according to the overall happiness principle, it is good for the
alien race to devour humanity and cause horrific suffering, as long as it is
cumulatively causing the alien race an overall greatest happiness.

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 UTILITY vs. GREATEST NUMBER

--->> In terms of numbers:

‘-
40% pain to human race
60% pleasure to alien race to cause the pain to humans

= GOOD for aliens to eat humans, according to greatest

happiness principle.

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 UTILITY vs. GREATEST NUMBER

--->> In terms of numbers:

‘-
40% pain to human race
60% pleasure to alien race to cause the pain to humans

= GOOD for aliens to eat humans, according to greatest

happiness principle.

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 QUESTION:
‘-

Is it justifiable to let go of some rights fro the sake of

the benefit of the majority?

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JUSTICE - Mill understands justice as a respect for rights directed towrad society’s
pursuit for the greatest happiness of the greatest number.
RIGHTS - Are a valid claim on society and are justified by utility.
examples:
Right to due process
‘-
Right to free speech or religion
- Rights serve general happiness, and are justified because they contribute to
the general good. This means that society is made happier if its citizens are able to
live their lives knowing that their interests are protected and that society, as a
whole, defends it.
- A right is justifiable on utilitarian principles inasmuch as they produce an
overall happiness that is greater than the unhappiness resulting from their
implementation.
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