Utilitarianism GOV-RES-MOD.3 PDF

GOV-RES-MOD.3 3. Certainty that Pleasure will Materialize -What is the probability that T.1 Utilitarianism the pleasure or pain will occur? - based on consequences and o...

GOV-RES-MOD.3 3. Certainty that Pleasure will Materialize -What is the probability that T.1 Utilitarianism the pleasure or pain will occur? - based on consequences and outcome 4. Remoteness of Pleasure Sought -How far off in the future is the - action is right and ought to be performed if it leads to overall happiness or pleasure or pain? benefits 5. Repeatability of the Pleasure - What is the probability that the pleasure - is largely dependent on the moral actor’s prediction of the likely will lead to other pleasures? consequences 6. Purity of Pleasure (whether accompanied by pain) -What is the probability that the pain will lead to other pains? 1. John Stuart Mill on Utilitarianism - actions are right in proportion as 7. Extent (number of people affected) - How many persons are affected they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the opposite by the pleasure? of happiness - happiness refers to intended pleasure and the absence of pain Why be obliged to act in accordance to GHP? - unhappiness is pain and privation of pleasure - Moral agent does so because sanctions or adverse effects may flow from *Good is equated with happiness deviations from GHP - people desire happiness as an end itself - Moral agent may experience remorse or attacks on his conscience - there is no other reason to prove that happiness is good (internal sanctions) for his moral actions - pleasures such as virtues, health, & music are means to happiness but is - Moral actor may encounter external sanctions like disfavor or displeasure possible also to be part of the end from others and from God - each person’s level of happiness is the summation of pleasure offset by - Fine or imprisonment may be imposed by the community pain suffered * general happiness is the happiness enjoyed by an aggregate of people Utilitarianism ignores the right of the minority – U is focused on the - applying the greatest happiness principle (GHP) in determining the overall good of the society morality of actions, determining the levels of pleasure and pain is necessary - the idea of majority rule between conflict leads to dismissal of the rights - no bias & good for everyone not few people of the minority 1st, moral actor must act as a “disinterested and benevolent spectator” Ex: Building a highway that will pass through private lands (affecting before homes and other properties) -- giving equal weight to pleasure and pain experienced by moral actor and 2 Main Forms of Utilitarianism those experienced by affected person 1. Act Utilitarianism - undertaking a particular act to the extent that the act 2nd, it is important to distinguish between higher and lower pleasure maximizes overall happiness some kinds of pleasure are more valuable than others 2. Rule Utilitarianism is about consequences resulting from adopting - higher pleasure is one which cannot be exchanged for any amount of general rule, instead of particular actions lower pleasure - human beings have a greater capacity for higher pleasure than animals Topic 2: Kantian Ethics (Immanuel Kant) “It is better to be human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied” X actual consequences/ experience of pleasure and pain Some humans are more capable of enjoying higher pleasures than others ✓ relies on Pure Reason, not resorting to empirical or sensory facts “It is better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied” - Good Will is the “end in itself” - the greater capacity to appreciate higher pleasure is connected to a - Each person possess autonomy and freedom to act person’s ‘sense of dignity’ and the influence of his environment - Rational person possess understanding and his will is based on reason and * distinguishing higher and lower pleasures not from impulses, inclination and senses - identification of higher and lower pleasures rests on the person - is deontological (based on moral duties) (competent judges) who experienced or are knowledgeable of both pleasures Moral Duty - basis of every action rather than inclinations or interest - if there are differences among persons, the majority decision prevails -difference between ‘acting from a moral duty’ and ‘acting in conformity - combination of higher and lower pleasures are is not plausible for Mill with a moral duty’ Ex: shopkeeper follows a general price and does not overcharge an Problems w/ Mill’s Utilitarianism inexperienced customer. 1. happiness is difficult to quantify - resources and time won’t allow to If motivated by personal advantages or interest the shopkeeper is not acting make adequate predictions of consequences of intended actions from duty. - knowledge of the chance of the consequences happening may be lacking Categorical Imperatives - rules are applied as necessary rules without - it is hard to assign quantitative values to aesthetic values and human exceptions attributes - certain benefits may be long-term/ may affect future generations Principle of Universality-act only according to maxim by which one can - not clear whether the interest of future generations should be included at the same time will that it should become universal law (applicable to all) 2. moral actor is unable to make interpersonal comparisons of utility ex:False promises or lies, hiring of employees of the same ethnic group - one needs to know the preferences of other members Principle of Humanity-act so that one treats humanity as an end and not as - knowing the preferences of and the strength of preferences would take a a means only tremendous amount of moral imagination *Based on human dignity, persons and rational being and exist as ends in - determination of strength of preferences also depends on individual’s themselves circumstances and needs *Human beings are not objects which are means to achieve certain ends *Principle of Humanity on the context of downsizing-sufficiently long 2. Jeremy Bentham on Utilitarianism – postulated a hedonistic calculus period of notice, allowing employees to search for another job to determine the right action based on the happiness value of the particular -reasonable separation package action Topic 3: Theories of Justice - The Aristotelian Concept of Justice - pleasure is an intrinsic good in itself -‘Just’ means lawful and fair Factors to determine the Happiness Value (criteria in measuring -Justice is complete virtue and that which leads to someone else’s good, not pleasure and pain) merely oneself 1. Intensity of Pleasure -How intense is the pleasure or pain? 3 forms of Justice 2. Duration of Pleasure -How long does the pleasure of pain last? 1.Distributive Justice-by examining the benefits and advantages accruing -The decision-maker is maximizing the minimum outcome among a to one person as compared to another within society number of possible options -Justice is regarded as a means and is based the proportional ratios of values -Rawls' theory focuses on distributive justice aspects and not the overall -distribution of goods in accordance with the right proportions happiness of the society 2.Compensatory Justice also called rectificatory justice -The rational person in the original position would not be concerned with -refers to compensation of victims for wrongs done to them maximizing total welfare if he is likely to suffer serious disadvantage -Purpose is to restore the original position prior to the wrongdoing -the principle of utilitarianism appears incompatible with the concept of -Justice as a means between loss and gain social cooperation among members of the society 3.Retributive Justice-purpose is to punish the wrongdoer (pagkakulong) -punishment seeks to restore the moral equilibrium Justice Connected to the concept of voluntariness and involuntariness Connected with the Virtue Theory John Rawls’ Justice as Fairness -not primarily concerned with individual moral action but with societal rules of conduct Rawls’ Methodology-starts with ‘Original Position’ -hypothetical ‘social contract’ by which people ought to bind themselves -Men are self-interested and rational -In the ‘Original Position’, a self-interested and rational person will plan to utilize the most effective means to obtain the available social goods -Social goods are: rights, liberty, opportunities, income and wealth Obtaining the maximum level of social goods obtainable Who receives what and how much -Decision is made under a ‘veil of ignorance’ -Veil of Ignorance’ refers to the situation wherein the self-interested and rational man is not aware in advance the position, social status, natural assets and abilities, intelligence, strength and psychological disposition of competing individuals. Two Principles of Justice (Rawl) -Social and economic inequalities are to be arranged so that they are both: To the greatest benefit of the least advantaged -Implementing Social Principles Branches of Government-should be responsible for the for allocation, transfer, stabilization First Principle of Justice -Principle of Equal Liberty-essentially composed of civil and political rights -Includes the right to vote, freedom of speech and assembly, freedom of conscience and thought, right to hold personal property and freedom from arbitrary arrest -Liberties should not be traded for greater socio-economic advantages Second Principles of Justice 2a Difference Principle-there is the need to identify the, from the socio- economic perspective, the least advantage representative man in the society -Requires that the greatest benefit accrue to the least advantaged representative member of the society 2b Fair Equality of Opportunity Principle-important in realization the of everyone’s capacities -Regarded as the human goods -Can be liked to Kantian moral duty of each person to develop his or her talents to the fullest capacity Differing Life Prospects -A son of a member of the entrepreneurial class has a better life-prospects compared to the son of an unskilled laborer -This life prospect can only be justified if the second principle is to the advantage of the representative of the unskilled laborer -This is with view in alleviating the 'arbitrary handicaps resulting from the initial starting places in society’ Difference Principle -Presupposes a risk averse or at least a conservative attitude in decision- making -Known as the maximum approach in choosing the right option where the worst possible outcome is better than the possible outcome of any other alternative