What makes utilitarianism distinctive in relation to other consequentialist positions in ethics?
Consequentialist theory
General good is what is important
Different structures generated by different notions of right and wrong
Good determines the right
VALUE based moral theory focused on bringing about right kinds of things
Right as a function of the
2. What is the utilitarian criterion of right and wrong?
What produces the more general good for the most people
Happiness, pleasure, welfare are all aspects of good instrinsically
Maximizing theory; brings as much good action as possible and maximizes happiness compared to other actions
Felicific calculator: h
What is the central claim of hedonism?
Happiness is the most important and only intrinsic value
What are the main differences between the accounts of utilitarianism proposed by Bentham and Mill?
Bentham: theory of value; theory of right actions (maximizing theory), felicific calculator; no other moral considerations other than the amount of good produced
Mill: two different kinds of pleasure (high and low); high always trumps low; loses that ther
How does Mill distinguish between kinds of pleasure?
Pleasure can be qualitatively different as well as quantitatively
High vs low
High always wins
Mill delineates how to differentiate between higher- and lower-quality pleasures: A pleasure is of higher quality if people would choose it over a different ple
What test does Mill propose for determining which kind of pleasure is more desirable?
Hayden and oyster
God gives choice between endless oyster life with little capacities and short human life with many capacities
Difference in quality and quantity
Chooses oyster (Bentham) because the quantity will eventually catch up numerically
What is Kant's central objection to consequentialism?
Same consequence doesn't equal the same morality
Action is morally right if performed out of duty
Does not take into account that humans are rational and have capacity to make decisions
Humans have agency
How can the Universal Law formulation of the categorical imperative can be used as a decision-procedure in ethics.
Decide if everyone doing the action would lead to issues
If everyone borrowed money and did not pay the person back, people would stop trusting people and lending money, because they'd know they wouldn't get their money back
. Why does the Humanity as an End in Itself formulation of the categorical imperative require that rational capacities be respected.
If humans are treated merely as a means to an end, humans are being used as tools and therefore their rationality is not being respected
If rational capacities aren't respected then the capacity to reason is destroyed and the person is being used
Rational
What is the most significant difference between hypothetical and categorical imperatives?
Hypothetical imperatives: whenever/if intend to reach end E, then you should take the necessary means to attain E, if you want E you must perform action A
One willed the end we must take; certain course of action
Applies when end can be chosen to take or
What does Kant mean by a "maxim?
rule
What, for Aquinas, are the four basic human goods?
Life
Procreation
Knowledge
Sociability
How, for natural law ethics, are moral principles established or discerned?
Moral law is ground in facts about human beings
Human nature makes law binding
objective truths discoverable by reason in the nature of things (Cicero).
Why is the principle of double effect introduced into natural law ethics?
PDE is introduced to provide guidance wrt a particular kind of moral conflict: when the performance of an action will produce good and bad effects (both foreseen). Is it ever morally permissible to do bad to promote good?
Based on distinctions:
Between me
What is it that makes an action right or wrong according to natural law theories?
Good is to be done and evil avoided" is the general principle; need to consider what human good is if it is to have any determinate content (take hint from what is given by nature)
Through subtle application of reason, should be possible to establish bod
Why is natural law ethics often said to be teleological?
Teleological world-view: all things in nature have purposes.
The essence of something makes it what it is
A thing that performs its function well is in a state of perfection.
The perfection of a thing constitutes its goodness.
Generally, the good of organ
How do contractualists conceive of principles of morality?
Morality: rules necessary for social living�need a social contract.
As such is concerned with questions about rules of cooperation.
Social Contract theories: Get to them by imagining state of nature (Hobbes: nasty, brutish and short), and ask, what do we
Why do they think that hypothetical contracts are better devices than actual ones to establish principles of morality?
Idea of a hypothetical fair contract is used to determine what the key moral principles, and hence the rules of social co-operation should be.
Rawls's "original position" (and its central feature, the "veil of ignorance") provides a method for applying th
What is the function of Rawls's "veil of ignorance?
they are behind a "veil of ignorance" about their own distinctive traits and positions in society (so that they are not influenced by their knowledge of their own personal power and advantage),
What is the principle of maximin?
Rational choosing in conditions of uncertainty is based on "maximin," and leads to the conception of justice as fairness, captured in Rawls's 2 principles (see Vaughn, 38).
According to the maximin rule we should compare alternatives by the worst possible
Why does Rawls think that principles agreed to in the original position would be fair?
they are rational and informed about the general facts of human nature and circumstances, desire "primary goods," are capable of practical reasoning, have a sense of justice, but
they are behind a "veil of ignorance" about their own distinctive traits and
Virtue Ethics holds that "virtue is prior to duty." What does this claim mean?
Virtue is prior to duty: we can't know our duty without knowing what is virtuous. (Issue: are people virtuous because they perform right actions, or are actions right because virtuous people perform them?)
Aristotle (384-322 BCE): Functional argument:
Hig
Why, for Aristotle, are virtues necessary to living a good life?
The good person is the person who reasons well.
Happiness is the life of virtue.
Virtues are constitutive elements of happiness or contribute to it.
Describe Aristotle's functional theory of the good.
ibe Aristotle's functional theory of the good.
The good person is the person who reasons well.
Human flourishing represents good
Good person can define good duty
What is the "doctrine of the mean?
Aristotle thought that many virtues could be seen as a "mean" between two extremes, e.g.,
Virtue Excess Deficiency
Courage Foolhardiness Cowardice
Generosity Extravagance Stinginess
Temperance Self-indulgence Asceticism
How is the virtuous person to be identified?
A virtuous person is someone who does her duty for the right reasons.
Virtuous person is person of practical wisdom: person who knows how to "do the right thing