Joshua Gilhespy

PHIL102-42C
09/18/2015
Chapter 5 – Questions and Answers

1. State and explain the basic idea of the principle of

utility or the greatest happiness principle.
The basic idea of the principle of utility/greatest happiness principle is that the action with the
greatest outcome of bringing happiness is the best action.

2. What does it mean to speak of utilitarianism as a

consequentialist moral theory?
To speak of utilitarianism as a consequentialist moral theory is to state that it is based on the
consequences of actions, and not the actions themselves. It is based around how an action affects
other people. Specifically, it is based around how much happiness or unhappiness an action

m
er as
creates.

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3. What is the difference between intrinsic and

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instrumental good? Give examples of each.
rs e
According to Utilitarianism, the only intrinsic good things are happiness and pleasure. Intrinsic
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goods have a goodness inherent within them.
Meanwhile, instrumental goods are defined as the means to -get- intrinsic goods. They are not
inherently good.
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aC s
vi y re

4. Which of the following statements exemplify

consequentialist reasoning? Can all of them be
given consequentialist interpretations if expanded?
Explain your answers.
ed d
ar stu

All statements can be given consequentialist interpretations if expanded. All actions have some
form of consequences, all actions impact people in a certain way that causes happiness or
unhappiness.
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a. Honesty is the best policy. – If you lie, you may hurt someone more than if you tell the truth
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outright.
b. Sue has the right to know the truth. – If she realizes you hid the truth, she will be very
unhappy.
c. What good is going to come from giving money
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to a homeless person on the street? – That money could better serve your own happiness, the
homeless person may waste it and not be as happy as you might be.
d. There is a symbolic value present in personally

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 giving something to another person in need. – I will feel happiness because of giving to
somebody in need, who will also feel happiness. This value would be greater than keeping the
item I give.
e. It is only fair that you give him a chance to compete
for the position. – It might give him happiness to try and prove himself, and we would have the
most to gain if he proves to be the best candidate for the job.

f. If I do not study for my ethics exam, it will hurt

my GPA. – Because I did not reinforce my knowledge, I would be unprepared for the exam. This
would lower my score, which would cause me stress.
g. If you are not honest with others, you cannot
expect them to be honest with you. – If others know you are not honest with them, they will not
trust you with good information. All parties will suffer because of it.

5. Is utilitarianism a hedonist moral theory? Why or

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why not?
Yes and no. Utilitarianism is the pursuit of the most amount of pleasure in a situation. Hedonism

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is the pursuit of personal pleasure. Utilitarianism can result in your displeasure, which would not
be hedonistic. The same is true, however, reversely. A situation can benefit the most people with

o.
you included.
rs e
The difference between hedonism and utilitarianism is the focus on the self. Hedonist moral
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theory is individually egoistic. Utilitarianism is universally egoistic.

6. Using utilitarian calculation, which choice in each of

o

the following pairs is better, X or Y?

aC s

a. X makes four people happy and me unhappy.

vi y re

Y makes me and one other person happy and

three people unhappy.

X=4-1=3 ---- Y=2-3=-1. X is better.

ed d
ar stu

b. X makes twenty people happy and five

unhappy. Y makes ten people happy and no
one unhappy.
X=20-5=15 ---- Y=10-0=10. X is better.
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c. X will give five people each two hours of

pleasure. Y will give three people each four
hours of pleasure.
X=5x2=10. Y=3x4=12. Y is better.
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d. X will make five people very happy and three

people mildly unhappy. Y will make six people
moderately happy and two people very
unhappy.

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 X=5x10 (50) – 3x3 (9) = 41 ---- Y=6x7 (42) – 2x10 (20) = 22. X is better, but this is subjective
based on the value you give Mild, Moderate, and Very.

7. What is Mill’s argument for the difference in

value between intellectual and sensual pleasures?
Mill argues that Intellectual pleasures are inherently more satisfying than those of merely
physical origin. He argues that intellectual pleasures are inherently more human than those
sensual pleasures that cause physical satisfaction, which is why he gives them more value.

8. Which of the following is an example of act

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er as
utilitarian reasoning and which is an example
of rule utilitarian reasoning? Explain your answers.

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a. If I do not go to the meeting, then others

o.
will not go either. If that happens, then there
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would not be a quorum for the important vote,
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which would be bad. Thus, I ought to go to the
meeting.
This is an example of Act Utilitarian Reasoning, because it applies to this single act by this single
o

individual and this single meeting.

aC s
vi y re

b. If doctors generally lied to their patients about

their diagnoses, then patients would lose trust
in their doctors. Because that would be bad,
I should tell this patient the truth.
ed d

This is a Rule Utilitarian Reasoning because of the term ‘if doctors generally’, which means it
ar stu

applies to doctors as a whole, and not just this single doctor’s act of lieing.

c. We ought to keep our promises because it is a

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valuable practice.
This is also Rule Utilitarian Reasoning because it speaks generally, and does not give a single
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instance with specific consequences.

d. If I cheat here, I will be more likely to cheat elsewhere.

No one would trust me then. So I should
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not cheat on this test.

This is Act Utilitarian Reasoning because it specifies this particular act, with particular
consequences.

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