strengths & Weaknesses

Transcription

1 strengths & Weaknesses

2 Strengths of Utilitarianism.

3 It is intuitively correct (you knew it straight away) because common sense dictates that all situations are not identical and sometimes a different approach is needed. It takes into account cultural diversity each culture is allowed to operate equally and in parallel without one being considered more superior than the other. It seeks to maximize a human goal its basis is therefore, grounded in humanity and does not seek authority from another source. (i.e. a divine power / God.) Bentham is not against moral rules rather he created the principle of utility as a method of social reform. It is a way of testing a law or legal maxim for its utility for human kind. If it does not meet the goals of a human then Bentham argued the law should be changed.

4 Utilitarianism can be applied to ANY situation. It is Relative and consequential. There is NO MORAL ABSOLUTE unlike the 10 commandments. Happiness is a great motivational factor. MOST people want to be happy and avoid pain. No special wisdom is required to apply this ethic. Utilitarianism is about the greatest happiness / good / pleasure of the greatest number. This formula may help you to work out the lesser of two evils. You can lie (does my bum look big in this?), steal and murder and justify your actions!! No God; No rules just a principle based upon happiness.

5 Weaknesses of Utilitarianism.

6 Impractical to suggest that we have the time to deliberate and apply the calculus to every situation we come across especially as we may not have the full information. We may be able to make short term predictions, but not long term ones! (we are not an omnipotent God!!) It does not treat everyone equally in a true sense of equality. They are only equal in that their vote matters. You can justify EVIL.. Rape, torture, murder in the name of the greatest happiness / pleasure for the greatest number. You can disobey important moral rules (10 Commandments) and violate human rights (the right to be freeman and NOT a slave). Yes says Bentham! No says Mill! Do we experience different degrees of pleasure eating chocolate, hugging my kids! Is my experience of pleasure the SAME as yours? (Do we both get the same measurable pleasure from chocolate?)

7 Can you really define and measure pleasure / happiness / good? After all, a meta ethicist would ask What is good? The greatest HAPPINESS of the greatest NUMBER which variable takes priority?? OK if you are in the MAJORITY, but what if you were a Jew, a homosexual or a gypsy and experienced the holocaust? What about wealth and fame and careers? Whilst they may bring us happiness they may also bring pain and unhappiness and stress. For some spiritual fulfilment is more important than physical or mental happiness.. Whether it be in this life of the next. Pain is natural, it is part of what makes us human. To remove pain is denying us a part of who we are! Should athletes not train? Should we never fall in love in case we get hurt?

8 1. Some pleasures are better than others. 2. Higher and lower pleasures. 3. The greatest good should be typified by those actions which maximize higher pleasures. 4. This is how we can overcome the weaknesses of Bentham s Utilitarianism.

9 Strengths of Mill s Utilitarianism.

10 1. The utilitarian tendency to justify any action is severely limited. The concept of higher and lower pleasures eliminate any of the negative side effects. (Sensual experiences are frowned upon). You can t justify ANY action. 2. It still takes into account the situation but also maximizes the importance of the individual. 3. Rule utilitarianism expresses wholly the Christian teaching of loving your neighbour as yourself. 4. Community centred. Rule utilitarianism is based upon using rules that will benefit the whole of society. (ie. Lying is wrong, whilst it may bring about happiness in the short term, in the long term it may bring much unhappiness to the community.)

11 Weaknesses of Mill s Utilitarianism

12 1. Elitist who are you to say that your pleasure is higher than mine? Is listening to Beethoven comparable to playing chess? What about someone who enjoys the challenge of golf not everybody is trained to appreciate the higher pleasures in life. It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, are of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question. The other party to the comparison knows both sides. who is qualified to make these decisions?

13 2. How much quantity of lower pleasure would outweigh the quality of a higher pain. Gang rape ? Are something s just wrong?

14 3. More people tend to follow lower pleasures than higher pleasures. Is this really the greatest happiness for the greatest number? 4. If one must decide the probable outcome of an act before knowing whether it is good or bad, how can children learn to evaluate acts, since they know so little of what consequences might arise from their actions?

15 5. Utilitarianism plays fast and loose with God s commandments. If lying, stealing, or killing could lead to an increase of happiness for the greatest number, we are told we should lie, steal or kill. Isn t that a rejection of God s commands?

16 1. CANT JUSTIFY ANY ACTION 2. MAXIMISES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL 3. EXPRESSES CHRISTIAN TEACHINGS 4. COMMUNITY CENTRED 1. PLAYS FAST AND LOOSE WITH GODS COMMANDMENTS 2. GODLESS 3. WHEN DO LOWER PLEASURES OUTWEIGHT HIGHER PLEASURES 4. MORE PEOPLE TEND TO FOLLOW LOWER PLEASURES.

17 In a situation I must obey the rule even if it doesn t lead to the greatest pleasure for me in this situation. Driving on the left you should always drive on the left even if it doesn t always provide happiness (traffic jam) because it will produce a greater overall good. A person should never lie because it doesn t bring about the greatest good for the community.

18 How does this stay in with the consequentialist ideas? Rule utilitarianism instead of focusing on the consequences of actions it focuses on the consequences of rules. A rule is good if its consequences result in overall happiness.

19 Democratic it involves the whole community. It could increase the benefits of the minority as they will be given their chance to vote on the rulings. Rules could be absolute for a period and change according to societal need.

20 No guarantee that the minority will be protected. Slavery would be handy and as long as it wasn't the majority that were enslaved it would be morally acceptable. R M HARE would say it is inflexible a maniac is chasing someone into a shop. The maniac asks the shopkeeper who following utilitarianism, would be unable to lie, hands him over. Trying to have its cake and eat it. You cannot have the benefits of absolutism and still maintain the benefits of relativism.