Bond
08-21-2007, 01:09 AM
Utilitarianism
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Would Shakira be willing to maximize your pleasure?
What is Utilitarianism?
Utilitarianism is a philosophical theory primarily dealing with how we should act. It has two components:
Theory of Utility. That is, well being - what makes life good for people.
What we should do about that utility. Act Utilitarianism, the most common type of utilitarianism, says we should produce as much of that well being as possible.
View on Happiness
Many scholars of utilitarianism have a hedonistic view when it comes to happiness, dating back to the ancient Greeks: Pleasure is the only component of happiness and the only component of unhappiness is pain or suffering. So, the greatest possible life for a person is one in which they have the greatest balance of pleasure over pain.
Felicific Calculus
Felicific Calculus is an algorithm concocted by utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham to determine how much pleasure an action is likely to cause. Bentham attached numbers to these actions in an effort to produce the greatest amount of pleasure in a mathematical way. Most people find Bentham’s Felicific Calculus to be bizarre.
Utilitarianism and Romanticism
James Mill, a pupil of Bentham, strived to combine the hedonism of utilitarianism with romanticism. Mill setup a higher and lower pleasure spectrum, contrasting a sad Socrates with a happy pig. Mill concludes that it is better to be a sad Socrates than a happy pig, as Socrates is enjoying a higher form of pleasure.
Criticisms Against Mill’s Utilitarianism
There were two main lines of objection against Mill:
His Hedonism. Many scholars have a fundamental problem with the philosophy of hedonism, and as such Mill was attacked for it.
Maximizing Pleasure. Maximizing the greatest good seems like a good idea in theory, but it has some problems. For example, someone has a bomb that they’re about to set off, the police may be required to torture their children to find out where the bomb is to save the most amount of lives.
Was Mill Right?
Yes and no. Mill’s theory of morality, to maximize beneficial consequences seems to be correct. But, Mill failed to realize the partiality that we have for our own interests above others. The great struggle is balancing partiality to oneself and impartiality.
Is Utilitarianism Wrong?
Most philosophers after World War II attacked and berated Utilitarianism, but it has withstood those thrashings and is still a dominant theory today. Recently, Utilitarianism has promoted equality between the developed and the developing world, as well as championing animal rights.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/8662/shakirafe0.jpg
Would Shakira be willing to maximize your pleasure?
What is Utilitarianism?
Utilitarianism is a philosophical theory primarily dealing with how we should act. It has two components:
Theory of Utility. That is, well being - what makes life good for people.
What we should do about that utility. Act Utilitarianism, the most common type of utilitarianism, says we should produce as much of that well being as possible.
View on Happiness
Many scholars of utilitarianism have a hedonistic view when it comes to happiness, dating back to the ancient Greeks: Pleasure is the only component of happiness and the only component of unhappiness is pain or suffering. So, the greatest possible life for a person is one in which they have the greatest balance of pleasure over pain.
Felicific Calculus
Felicific Calculus is an algorithm concocted by utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham to determine how much pleasure an action is likely to cause. Bentham attached numbers to these actions in an effort to produce the greatest amount of pleasure in a mathematical way. Most people find Bentham’s Felicific Calculus to be bizarre.
Utilitarianism and Romanticism
James Mill, a pupil of Bentham, strived to combine the hedonism of utilitarianism with romanticism. Mill setup a higher and lower pleasure spectrum, contrasting a sad Socrates with a happy pig. Mill concludes that it is better to be a sad Socrates than a happy pig, as Socrates is enjoying a higher form of pleasure.
Criticisms Against Mill’s Utilitarianism
There were two main lines of objection against Mill:
His Hedonism. Many scholars have a fundamental problem with the philosophy of hedonism, and as such Mill was attacked for it.
Maximizing Pleasure. Maximizing the greatest good seems like a good idea in theory, but it has some problems. For example, someone has a bomb that they’re about to set off, the police may be required to torture their children to find out where the bomb is to save the most amount of lives.
Was Mill Right?
Yes and no. Mill’s theory of morality, to maximize beneficial consequences seems to be correct. But, Mill failed to realize the partiality that we have for our own interests above others. The great struggle is balancing partiality to oneself and impartiality.
Is Utilitarianism Wrong?
Most philosophers after World War II attacked and berated Utilitarianism, but it has withstood those thrashings and is still a dominant theory today. Recently, Utilitarianism has promoted equality between the developed and the developing world, as well as championing animal rights.