PHIL 2525PHIL 2525Contemporary Moral Contemporary Moral

IssuesIssues

Lec 13 UtilitarianismLec 13 Utilitarianism

Chapter 7Chapter 7

Lifeboat Ethics...Lifeboat Ethics...

Garret Hardin Garret Hardin maintains that we maintains that we have a duty to have a duty to not helpnot help the poor and starving the poor and starving of other countries...of other countries...

Rich nations Rich nations are like are like lifeboats. lifeboats.

The poor are The poor are like the like the drowning drowning people in the people in the water. water.

If we let them If we let them into our into our lifeboat, we will lifeboat, we will all die.all die.

Garrett Hardin:Garrett Hardin:

Freedom of the Commons Freedom of the Commons

and Resource Allocationand Resource Allocation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8gAMFTAt2Mhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8gAMFTAt2M

Evaluating Lifeboat Evaluating Lifeboat Ethics...Ethics...

Are rich nations Are rich nations like lifeboats?like lifeboats?

Where did the Where did the lifeboats come lifeboats come from?from?

Why arenWhy aren’’t there t there enough lifeboats?enough lifeboats?

Chapter 7 Epigraph Chapter 7 Epigraph

...sententious Christian ...sententious Christian doctrine that doctrine that ““the end the end does not justify the does not justify the means.means.””

Epigraph: Epigraph: Sententious…p 97Sententious…p 97

ddull and moralizingull and moralizing self-righteousself-righteous putting on an air of wisdomputting on an air of wisdom

The new author obviously thinks you The new author obviously thinks you couldn’t havecouldn’t have

figured it out….or the word is old and you figured it out….or the word is old and you shouldn’tshouldn’t

have to bother…have to bother…

Chapter 7 Epigraph Chapter 7 Epigraph

...sententious Christian ...sententious Christian doctrine that doctrine that ““the end the end does not justify the means.does not justify the means.””

We have to ask now, We have to ask now, ““If If the end doesnthe end doesn’’t justify the t justify the means, what does?means, what does?”” The The answer is, obviously, answer is, obviously, ““Nothing!Nothing!””

1818thth Century upheavals… Century upheavals…

David HumeDavid Hume

Suggested that Suggested that we are somehow we are somehow hard-wired to hard-wired to approve of things approve of things that help not only that help not only ourselves, but ourselves, but also society…also society…

JEREMY BENTHAM, 1748-JEREMY BENTHAM, 1748-18321832

Reading Hume Reading Hume made me feel made me feel as though as though “scales had “scales had fallen from my fallen from my eyes.” eyes.”

Jeremy Jeremy BenthamBentham

Morality is Morality is about about making the making the world as world as happy as happy as possiblepossible

JEREMY JEREMY BENTHAMBENTHAM

““Nature has placed Nature has placed mankind under the mankind under the governance of two governance of two sovereign masters:sovereign masters:

painpain and and pleasurepleasure..

Why was Utilitarianism Why was Utilitarianism Revolutionary?Revolutionary?

Why was Utilitarianism Why was Utilitarianism Revolutionary?Revolutionary?

Because it dispensed with God or Because it dispensed with God or the hereafter as a moral markerthe hereafter as a moral marker……

Morality was a strictly human Morality was a strictly human endeavourendeavour……

JEREMY BENTHAMJEREMY BENTHAM ““The greatest The greatest

good for the good for the greatest greatest number”number”

the “Hedonic the “Hedonic Calculus” as a Calculus” as a standard for standard for judging laws and judging laws and social institutionssocial institutions

The The Utilitarian Utilitarian Calculus Calculus

Criteria for measuringCriteria for measuring

pleasure and pain:pleasure and pain:

Intensity Intensity Duration Duration Certainty (or Certainty (or

uncertainty) uncertainty) Nearness (or farness)Nearness (or farness) ExtentExtent

Utilitarianism and social Utilitarianism and social reform…reform…

Utilitarianism and social Utilitarianism and social reform…reform…

Utilitarianism and social Utilitarianism and social reform…reform…

Utilitarianism and social Utilitarianism and social reform…reform…

Utilitarianism and social Utilitarianism and social reform…reform…

Social Social Reform...Reform...

Government Government has no place has no place in the in the bedrooms of bedrooms of the nation….the nation….

"Utilitarians believe "Utilitarians believe that the sole factor in that the sole factor in determining an action’s determining an action’s morality is the balance morality is the balance of social good vs. social of social good vs. social evil. evil.

Appeals to moral Appeals to moral intuitions, social intuitions, social traditions or God’s traditions or God’s wishes are wishes are notnot relevant."relevant."

Bentham advanced the Bentham advanced the principle of utilityprinciple of utility

Advocated “the Advocated “the greatest happiness greatest happiness of the greatest of the greatest number” number”

Suggested the Suggested the “Hedonic Calculus” “Hedonic Calculus” as a standard for as a standard for judging laws and judging laws and social institutions.social institutions.

J. S. Mill 1806-1873J. S. Mill 1806-1873

Not merely the quantity of pleasure, but the quality of happiness had to be calculated.

Some pleasures are better than others…

J. S. Mill 1806-1873J. S. Mill 1806-1873

Not merely the quantity of pleasure, but the quality of happiness had to be calculated.

Some pleasures are better than others…

"Better a "Better a Socrates Socrates unsatisfied … unsatisfied … than a pig than a pig satisfied.satisfied.

John Stuart MillJohn Stuart Mill

"Better a Socrates unsatisfied than a "Better a Socrates unsatisfied than a fool satisfied; and better a fool fool satisfied; and better a fool unsatisfied than a pig satisfied.unsatisfied than a pig satisfied.

John Stuart MillJohn Stuart Mill

J. S. Mill 1806-1873J. S. Mill 1806-1873

“Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.”

J. S. Mill 1806-1873J. S. Mill 1806-1873

“Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.”

Lifeboat situations...Lifeboat situations...

Utilitarian Tenets:

Moral rules are merely rules of Moral rules are merely rules of thumbthumb

The point is to achieve the greatest The point is to achieve the greatest good for the greatest numbergood for the greatest number

Utilitarianism is a Utilitarianism is a Consequentialist Consequentialist Theory Theory

7.2: 7.2: EuthanasiaEuthanasia

WhatWhat’’s on a s on a manman’’s s mind?mind?

Matthew Matthew Donnelly Donnelly and his and his right to right to

die...die...

Utilitarian Argument…Utilitarian Argument…

The morally right thing to do on any The morally right thing to do on any occasion is what will, on balance, result in occasion is what will, on balance, result in the greatest good.the greatest good.

On at least some occasions, the greatest On at least some occasions, the greatest balance of good may be brought about by balance of good may be brought about by mercy killing.mercy killing.

Therefore, on some occasions, mercy Therefore, on some occasions, mercy killing may be morally right.killing may be morally right.

Mercy Mercy killing...killing...p. 100p. 100

God is mercifulGod is merciful A merciful God would not disapproveA merciful God would not disapprove

Bentham: About those who think God Bentham: About those who think God disapproves: disapproves:

““They call him benevolent in words, but They call him benevolent in words, but they do not mean that he is so in reality.they do not mean that he is so in reality.””

Mercy Mercy killing...killing...p. 100p. 100

If no harm is caused to If no harm is caused to anyone else, it is no business anyone else, it is no business of anyone else.of anyone else.

7.3: 7.3: MarijuanaMarijuana

Pleasure and pain?Pleasure and pain? Harms and benefits?Harms and benefits?

““All pleasures, for Bentham , All pleasures, for Bentham , were innocent until proven guilty were innocent until proven guilty by their consequences, however by their consequences, however unsavoury their traditional reputation.unsavoury their traditional reputation.””

Almost all Utilitarians favour legalization.Almost all Utilitarians favour legalization.

7.3: 7.3: MarijuanaMarijuana

Pleasure and pain?Pleasure and pain? Harms and benefits?Harms and benefits?

““All pleasures, for Bentham , All pleasures, for Bentham , were innocent until proven guilty were innocent until proven guilty by their consequences, however by their consequences, however unsavoury their traditional reputation.unsavoury their traditional reputation.””

Almost all Utilitarians favour legalization.Almost all Utilitarians favour legalization.

7.4: Non-7.4: Non-human human

animals…animals…

The question is The question is not whether they not whether they can talk or can talk or reason ..... reason .....

..... but whether ..... but whether they can suffer. they can suffer.

The Meatrix...The Meatrix...

Jeremy Jeremy BenthamBentham

The time will come The time will come when humanity will when humanity will extend its mantle extend its mantle over everything over everything which breathes... " which breathes... "

Recapping: Recapping: 3 main points of 3 main points of Utilitarianism:Utilitarianism:

Actions are judged right or wrong solely Actions are judged right or wrong solely on the basis of their consequences on the basis of their consequences

The only thing that counts is the amount The only thing that counts is the amount of happiness or unhappiness produced by of happiness or unhappiness produced by an action (all else is irrelevant)an action (all else is irrelevant)

Each person’s happiness counts the sameEach person’s happiness counts the same

Attendance Attendance question:question:

What do you think What do you think of Singer’s solution of Singer’s solution to poverty?to poverty?

How would your How would your life change?life change?