Outline key features of utilitarianism
Sabina Leng
Outline the important features of utilitarianism (21 marks)
The theory of utilitarianism determines the rightness or wrongness of an action by its consequence. The theory uses a teleological approach where it primarily focuses on the amount of pain or pleasure created as the result of a given action. As such, it moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of others. Utilitarianism is a relativist system of which most versions do not set out fixed rules to follow and are quite flexible.
The main founders of the theory are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill who outlined the principle in utility. Bentham first developed Utilitarianism in the late 18th century, in the age of industrial revolution which was a time of great social change; Bentham argued that the new enlightened and scientific era required a new approach to ethics which would not be based upon the old established idea of the Church and its external moral authority. He hoped to create a rational secular moral approach which would also appeal to unreligious people and could be applied to all ethical situations. Bentham split his theory on Utilitarianism into three main sections; the first being that the main human aim throughout life was to seek pleasure and avoid pain. The second part of his theory was the principle of utility, which uses pleasure and pain as the basis for making moral decisions and looks at the amount of pleasure caused by the action in order to make a decision. Bentham then included a way of calculating the amount of pleasure devised from a particular action with what is called the Hedonic Calculus. This included seven criteria that had to be answered in order to sum up whether the decision would be the right thing to do. Utilitarianism is a teleological argument. It is concerned with the consequences of actions, and does not take the actions themselves into consideration when deciding on the morality of the decisions.
Outline the important features of utilitarianism (21 marks)
The theory of utilitarianism determines the rightness or wrongness of an action by its consequence. The theory uses a teleological approach where it primarily focuses on the amount of pain or pleasure created as the result of a given action. As such, it moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of others. Utilitarianism is a relativist system of which most versions do not set out fixed rules to follow and are quite flexible.
The main founders of the theory are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill who outlined the principle in utility. Bentham first developed Utilitarianism in the late 18th century, in the age of industrial revolution which was a time of great social change; Bentham argued that the new enlightened and scientific era required a new approach to ethics which would not be based upon the old established idea of the Church and its external moral authority. He hoped to create a rational secular moral approach which would also appeal to unreligious people and could be applied to all ethical situations. Bentham split his theory on Utilitarianism into three main sections; the first being that the main human aim throughout life was to seek pleasure and avoid pain. The second part of his theory was the principle of utility, which uses pleasure and pain as the basis for making moral decisions and looks at the amount of pleasure caused by the action in order to make a decision. Bentham then included a way of calculating the amount of pleasure devised from a particular action with what is called the Hedonic Calculus. This included seven criteria that had to be answered in order to sum up whether the decision would be the right thing to do. Utilitarianism is a teleological argument. It is concerned with the consequences of actions, and does not take the actions themselves into consideration when deciding on the morality of the decisions.