Utilitarianism

UtilitarianismMain claim:

UtilitarianismMain claim:Something is right to the degree that it increases overall well-being, and wrong to the degree that it decreases overall well-being.

UtilitarianismMain claim:Something is right to the degree that it increases overall well-being, and wrong to the degree that it decreases overall well-being.

UtilitarianismMain claim:Something is right to the degree that it increases overall well-being, and wrong to the degree that it decreases overall well-being.

UtilitarianismMain claim:Something is right to the degree that it increases overall well-being, and wrong to the degree that it decreases overall well-being.

Impartial

UtilitarianismMain claim:Something is right to the degree that it increases overall well-being, and wrong to the degree that it decreases overall well-being.

Impartial

Long-term consequences

UtilitarianismMain claim:Something is right to the degree that it increases overall well-being, and wrong to the degree that it decreases overall well-being.

Impartial

Long-term consequences

Duty to be informed

UtilitarianismMain claim:Something is right to the degree that it increases overall well-being, and wrong to the degree that it decreases overall well-being.

Impartial

Long-term consequences

Duty to be informed

Indifference to distribution

UtilitarianismMain claim:Something is right to the degree that it increases overall well-being, and wrong to the degree that it decreases overall well-being.

Impartial

Long-term consequences

Duty to be informed

Indifference to distribution

Results vs. intent

Arguments against:

Arguments against:

Against hedonism

Arguments against:

Against hedonism

Happiness not the end

Arguments against:

Against hedonism

Happiness not the end

"A doctrine worthy only of swine"

Arguments against:

Against hedonism

Happiness not the end

"A doctrine worthy only of swine"

Against impartiality

Arguments against:

Against hedonism

Happiness not the end

"A doctrine worthy only of swine"

Against impartiality

Supererogatory acts

Arguments against:

Against hedonism

Happiness not the end

"A doctrine worthy only of swine"

Against impartiality

Supererogatory acts

Personal relationships

Arguments against:

Against hedonism

Happiness not the end

"A doctrine worthy only of swine"

Against impartiality

Supererogatory acts

Personal relationships

Against consequentialism

Arguments against:

Against hedonism

Happiness not the end

"A doctrine worthy only of swine"

Against impartiality

Supererogatory acts

Personal relationships

Against consequentialism

Complexity

Arguments against:

Against hedonism

Happiness not the end

"A doctrine worthy only of swine"

Against impartiality

Supererogatory acts

Personal relationships

Against consequentialism

Complexity

Backward-looking obligations

Arguments against:

Against hedonism

Happiness not the end

"A doctrine worthy only of swine"

Against impartiality

Supererogatory acts

Personal relationships

Against consequentialism

Complexity

Backward-looking obligations

Justice

Cecilia is a surgeon who specializes in organ transplants. She is distraught about four prominent citizens at the top of the waiting list for organ donations, all of whom perform valuable services to society, all of whom have large families who depend on them, and all of whom will soon die unless organ donors are found.

Cecilia is a surgeon who specializes in organ transplants. She is distraught about four prominent citizens at the top of the waiting list for organ donations, all of whom perform valuable services to society, all of whom have large families who depend on them, and all of whom will soon die unless organ donors are found. Cecilia also volunteers in a community clinic once a month. One day while she is alone there, Jeb walks in. Jeb is new in town, has no friends or family, no job, no place to live, and is a high-school dropout. He asks to be given a routine physical examination. As Cecilia analyzes his blood sample, she realizes that Jeb is an excellent tissue match for the four people who need organs (they all need different organs, so Jeb by himself has the organs that could save them).

Cecilia is a surgeon who specializes in organ transplants. She is distraught about four prominent citizens at the top of the waiting list for organ donations, all of whom perform valuable services to society, all of whom have large families who depend on them, and all of whom will soon die unless organ donors are found. Cecilia also volunteers in a community clinic once a month. One day while she is alone there, Jeb walks in. Jeb is new in town, has no friends or family, no job, no place to live, and is a high-school dropout. He asks to be given a routine physical examination. As Cecilia analyzes his blood sample, she realizes that Jeb is an excellent tissue match for the four people who need organs (they all need different organs, so Jeb by himself has the organs that could save them).

Assume that Cecilia has exactly two choices of action: Allow Jeb to leave the clinic, and let the four people die;

Cecilia is a surgeon who specializes in organ transplants. She is distraught about four prominent citizens at the top of the waiting list for organ donations, all of whom perform valuable services to society, all of whom have large families who depend on them, and all of whom will soon die unless organ donors are found. Cecilia also volunteers in a community clinic once a month. One day while she is alone there, Jeb walks in. Jeb is new in town, has no friends or family, no job, no place to live, and is a high-school dropout. He asks to be given a routine physical examination. As Cecilia analyzes his blood sample, she realizes that Jeb is an excellent tissue match for the four people who need organs (they all need different organs, so Jeb by himself has the organs that could save them).

Assume that Cecilia has exactly two choices of action: Allow Jeb to leave the clinic, and let the four people die; Kill Jeb, harvest his organs, and save the four people (assume she can do this without getting caught).

Cecilia is a surgeon who specializes in organ transplants. She is distraught about four prominent citizens at the top of the waiting list for organ donations, all of whom perform valuable services to society, all of whom have large families who depend on them, and all of whom will soon die unless organ donors are found. Cecilia also volunteers in a community clinic once a month. One day while she is alone there, Jeb walks in. Jeb is new in town, has no friends or family, no job, no place to live, and is a high-school dropout. He asks to be given a routine physical examination. As Cecilia analyzes his blood sample, she realizes that Jeb is an excellent tissue match for the four people who need organs (they all need different organs, so Jeb by himself has the organs that could save them).

Assume that Cecilia has exactly two choices of action: Allow Jeb to leave the clinic, and let the four people die; Kill Jeb, harvest his organs, and save the four people (assume she can do this without getting caught).

Which action would produce the best consequences if Cecilia were to perform it?

Defenses:

Defenses:

Examples calculate consequences wrongly

Defenses:

Examples calculate consequences wrongly

Rejection of moral intuitions as standard

Defenses:

Examples calculate consequences wrongly

Rejection of moral intuitions as standard

Overgeneralizing

Defenses:

Examples calculate consequences wrongly

Rejection of moral intuitions as standard

Overgeneralizing

Rule utilitarianism

Cecilia is a surgeon who specializes in organ transplants. She is distraught about four prominent citizens at the top of the waiting list for organ donations, all of whom perform valuable services to society, all of whom have large families who depend on them, and all of whom will soon die unless organ donors are found. Cecilia also volunteers in a community clinic once a month. One day while she is alone there, Jeb walks in. Jeb is new in town, has no friends or family, no job, no place to live, and is a high-school dropout. He asks to be given a routine physical examination. As Cecilia analyzes his blood sample, she realizes that Jeb is an excellent tissue match for the four people who need organs (they all need different organs, so Jeb by himself has the organs that could save them).

Assume that Cecilia has exactly two choices of action: Allow Jeb to leave the clinic, and let the four people die; Kill Jeb, harvest his organs, and save the four people (assume she can do this without getting caught).

Which action would produce the best consequences if one million doctors in roughly the same situation were to perform it?

Against consequentialism

Complexity

Backward-looking obligations

Justice

Defenses:

Examples calculate consequences wrongly

Rejection of moral intuitions as standard

Overgeneralizing

Rule utilitarianism

Problem of exceptions to rule