Professional Ethics

HU-222

Instructor
Dr. Ehsan ul Hassan
Measurement problems 2

(Critics on utilitarianism)

How the utility of an action for different people

can be measured and compared, as utilitarianism
requires?

There are certain kinds of benefits and costs that

seems impossible to measure

It is unclear exactly what should count as benefit

and what should count as cost

How different things of different natures can be

measured as same value so to trade with each
other, as in non-economic goods?
 3
Utilitarian Replies to Measurement
Instrumental goods: Things that are
objection considered valuable because they lead to
other good things (Money)

Instrumental
Intrinsic goods: Things that are desirable
vs. Intrinsic independent of any other benefits they may
Goods produce (Beauty, Justice, Kindness,
Needs Respect)
vs.
Wants Needs: Something you have to have,
Common something you can't do without. (food)
Sense Wants: something you would like to have.
criteria Monetary It is not absolutely necessary, but it would
Equivalent be a good thing to have
Social
Survey

It is a practical judgment concerning

everyday matters, or a basic ability to
perceive, understand, and judge that is
shared by nearly all people.
 Problems with Rights and Justice 4

(Critics on utilitarianism)
Utilitarian principle implies that certain actions are
morally right when in fact, they are unjust or they violate
people’s rights.

Violation of Human Rights Violation of Justice

Rule - Utilitarian
Reply to Objections of Rights and Justice
A form of utilitarianism that limits utilitarian
analysis to evaluation of moral rules.

I. An action is right from an ethical point of view if and only if the

action would be required by those rules that are correct.
II. A moral rule is correct if and only if the sum total of utilities
produced if everyone were to follow that rule is greater than the
sum total of utilities produced if everyone were to follow some
alternative rule.