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Utilitarianism: Objectives From Reading
Utilitarianism: Objectives From Reading
• Moral theories
– explain WHY these things are right and wrong, and
– give me REASONS for believing them so
The “right” decision, action, or policy is often defined as the one that
optimizes the balance of benefits over harms for all affected. For
example:
Isn’t
Isn’t the
themilitary
militaryaadecidedly
decidedly “Utilitarian”
“Utilitarian” organization?
organization?
Is
Isthis
this good
goodoror bad???
bad???
Utilitarianism
• Hedonism – a moral
theory “fit for swine”
• Atheistic – leaves out
God
(and by extension, any
higher-order moral
considerations)
• Promotes selfishness –
calculus of pure self-
interest
Bentham’s rebuttal: Vulgar or not, nature has placed us under two
masters, pleasure and pain - there is no other standard
Those who walk away…
LeGuin
LeGuinwon
wonthe
theHugo
HugoAward
Awardfor
forBest
BestShort
ShortStory
Storyin
in1974
1974
Modern Criticisms
Because
Becausethethe“good”
“good”hinges
hingeson onthe
thehappiness
happinessof ofthe
the
majority,
majority, utilitarianism
utilitarianismisisoften
oftenassociated
associated with
with
democracy.
democracy.
On
Onfurther
furthercontemplation,
contemplation,however,
however,might
mightitit just
justas
aseasily
easily
be
beassociated
associatedwithwithHitler’s
Hitler’sGermany?
Germany?
John Stuart Mill’s Revisions:
Utilitarianism
“It
“Itisisbetter
betterto
tobe
beSocrates
Socratesdissatisfied
dissatisfiedthan
thanaafool
foolor
oraapig
pigsatisfied.”
satisfied.”
John Stuart Mill’s Revisions:
Utilitarianism (Cont)
IsIsthis
thiswhat
what
Mill
Mill
really
reallymeant?
meant?
The Principle of Utility
The
Thegreatest
greatestgood
goodfor
forthe
thegreatest
greatestnumber
number
The Principle of Utility
• An act is right if, and only if, it • An act is right if, and only if, it
results in as much good as any is required by a rule that is
available alternative itself a member of a set of
rules, whose acceptance will
lead to greater utility for
society than any other
available alternative.
Pojman – 151-152
So how do you measure good/bad
consequences?
• The principle of utility (or Principle of Greatest Happiness) says:
– “The greatest happiness of all of those whose
interest is in question, is the right and proper, and
universally desirable, end of human action.”
• Happiness can then be looked at either long term or short term, physical
pleasure or intellectual happiness
• IS IT LOGICAL? INTUITIVE?
• IS THIS A MORAL THEORY YOU CAN USE TO
MAKE DECISIONS?
– Is pleasure vs pain the right metric?
• WHAT IS UTILITARIAN REASONING BASED ON?
– CONSEQUENCES – (OUTCOMES) – TELEOLOGICAL
Option$
Option$
A
A B
B C
C
Person AA $100
Person $100 $33.33
$33.33 $80
$80
Person BB $0
Person $0 $33.33
$33.33 $40
$40
Person C $0
Person C $0 $33.33
$33.33 $0
$0
Triage
Medical Triage Example
But…
if your principle as C.O. is protect the lives of
your men/women, then how do you justify
giving the order to intentionally kill one of
your men?
• 2 Options
– Send the second helo
– Don’t risk another rescue
• What is right?
• How did you decide?
Reading & Homework for Next Class
Intro to Military Justice