MODULE 5 UTILITARIANISM
OVERVIEW
This module tackles principles of Utilitarianism. It differentiates Jeremy Bentham’s
utilitarian concept and John Stuart Mill’s utilitarian concept. The module tries to see the different
types of utilitarianism. You need to apply the principles of utilitarianism in different situations.
OBJECTIVES At the end of this module, you must be able to:
1. discuss the basic idea of utilitarianism,
2. distinguish Jeremy Bentham’s utilitarianism from John Stuart Mill’s utilitarianism, and;
3. apply utilitarianism in evaluating community scenarios.
UTILITARIANISM
Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that places the locus of right and wrong solely
on the outcomes (consequences) of choosing one action/policy over other actions/policies. As
such, it moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of
others. It is about the “the greatest happiness for the greatest number”. When we talk of
utilitarianism, two names will appear instantly, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mills.
JEREMY BENTHAM
Jeremy Bentham is an English philosopher who introduces the principle of utility. He
recognizes the fundamental role of pain and pleasure in human life. He argues that the approval
or disapproval of an action is based on the amount of pain or pleasure brought about by the
consequences. Bentham equates good with pleasure and evil with pain, and asserts that pleasure
and pain are capable of quantification (and hence 'measure').
In measuring pleasure and pain, Bentham introduces the following criteria: INTENSITY,
DURATION, CERTAINTY (or UNCERTAINTY), and its NEARNESS (or FARNESS). He also
includes its "fecundity" (will more of the same follow?) and its "purity" (its pleasure won't be
followed by pain & vice versa). In considering actions that affect numbers of people, we must also
account for its EXTENT.
HOW IT WORKS
Your task is to explain how the criteria of Jeremy Bentham works. You need to research
it on books or through the world-wide-web.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
JOHN STUART MILLS
John Stuart Mills is also an English philosopher. He adjusted to the more hedonistic
tendencies in Bentham's philosophy by emphasizing. According to Mills, it is not the quantity of
pleasure, but the quality of happiness that is central to utilitarianism, He would add that the
calculus is unreasonable and qualities cannot be quantified (there is a distinction between 'higher'
and 'lower' pleasures). Mills argues that utilitarianism refers to "the Greatest Happiness Principle"
-- it seeks to promote the capability of achieving happiness (higher pleasures) for the most amount
of people (this is its "extent").
EXPLAIN IT
Please explain “The Greatest Happiness Principle”.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
ACT AND RULE UTILITARIANISM
We can apply the principle of utility to either PARTICULAR ACTIONS or GENERAL RULES. The
former is called "act-utilitarianism" and the latter is called "rule-utilitarianism."
Act-utilitarianism -- The principle of utility is applied directly to each alternative act in a situation
of choice. The right act is then defined as the one which brings about the best results (or the least
amount of bad results).
Rule-utilitarianism -- The principle of utility is used to determine the validity of rules of conduct
(moral principles). A rule like promise-keeping is established by looking at the consequences of
a world in which people broke promises at will and a world in which promises were binding. Right
and wrong are then defined as following or breaking those rules.
References:
Bulaong, O. et. al. (2018). Ethics: foundation of moral valuation. Manila: Rex Bookstore.
Thiroux, J. (2012). Ethics: theory and practice.(11th ed.). Engelewood Cliffs:
Prentice Hall.
