V Ethical philosophy differs from the

sciences because it is ›
 or




, rather than 

.
V ¬n other words, ethics tell us M  
M  
 or what we M   ,
while the sciences are more likely to
observe how things are in nature or
society.
 a

   


6

      


 
   


V tilitarianism says that the   or the
 › ›
 of an Act is the real
measure of whether it is good or bad.
V Àhis theory emphasizes › 

› 
V Àheories, like this one, that emphasize
the results or consequences are called
  
 or
› › .
Jeremy
Bentham
V Pan is under two great masters, pain
and pleasure.
V Àhe great good that we should seek is
happiness. (a hedonistic perspective)
V Àhose actions whose results increase
happiness or diminish pain are good.
Àhey have ´utility.µ
V ¬n determining the quantity of happiness
that might be produced by an action,
we evaluate the possible consequences
by applying several values:
V ¬››  
 ›

›

›

› 
›

 › 

› 
 › ›
V › › 

V  › 

V  

V ›
 
6rinciple of
tility

Greatest
Happiness
V a
: An Action is V : An action is
right if and only if right if and only if it
it produces the conforms to a set of
greatest rules the general
balance of acceptance of
pleasure over which would
pain for the produce the greatest
greatest number. balance of pleasure
(Jeremy over pain for the
Bentham) greatest number.
(John Stuart Pill)
V ¬f you can use eighty soldiers as a decoy
in war, and thereby attack an enemy
force and kill several hundred enemy
soldiers, that is a morally good choice
even though the eighty might be lost.
V ¬f lying or stealing will actually bring about
more happiness and/or reduce pain, Act
tilitarianism says we should lie and steal
in those cases.
Bentham·s theory could mean that if 10
people would be happy watching a man
being eaten by wild dogs, it would be a
morally good thing for the 10 men to kidnap
someone (especially someone whose death
would not cause grief to many others) and
throw the man into a cage of wild, hungry
dogs.
V Pill argues that we must consider the
 of the happiness, not merely the
›.
V or example, some might find happiness
with a pitcher of beer and a pizza. Others
may find happiness watching a fine
Shakespearean play. Àhe  of
happiness is greater with the latter.
´As between his own happiness and that
of others, utilitarianism requires him to be
as strictly impartial as a disinterested and
benevolent spectator. ¬n the golden
rule of Jesus of Nazareth, we read the
complete spirit of the ethics of utility. ¶Ào
do as you would be done by,· and ¶to
love your neighbor as yourself,·
constitute the ideal perfection of
utilitarian morality.µ
¬f ¬ am to bring the greatest happiness to the
greatest number, not putting my own
happiness above others, that may lead to a
dilemma. ¬ live in a neighborhood where
83% of my neighbors use drugs. ¬ could
make them most happy by helping supply
them with cheap drugs, but ¬ feel
uncomfortable doing that. What should a
utilitarian do?
V Bernard Williams criticizes the implied
´doctrine of negative responsibilityµ in
tilitarianism. or example, a thug breaks
into my home and holds six people
hostage, telling us he will kill all of us.
´However,µ the thug says, ´if you will kill
two of your family, ¬ will let you and the
other three live.µ
V With tilitarianism, the   thing to do is
to kill two members of my family.
V tilitarianism plays fast and loose with
God·s commandments. ¬f lying, stealing,
or killing could lead to an increase of
happiness for the greatest number, we
are told we should lie, steal or kill. ¬sn·t
that a rejection of God·s commands?
V What is the nature of God?
ÿ oes God make arbitrary rules just to see
if we will obey?
ÿ oes God make rules that He knows will
lead to our happiness?
V ¬f the latter statement is true, doesn·t it
make sense God would want us to use
our God-given reason to look at the
situation?
 ´¬f it be a true belief that God desires,
above all things, the happiness of his
creatures, and that this was his purpose in
their creation, utility is not a godless
doctrine, but more profoundly religious
than any other. . . . .whatever God has
though fit to reveal on the subject of morals
must fulfill the requirements of utility in a
supreme degree.µ
¬f one must decide the probable outcome
of an act before knowing whether it is
good or bad, how can children learn to
evaluate acts, since they know so little of
what consequences might arise from their
actions?
´ . . . Pankind must by this time have
acquired positive beliefs as to the effects of
some actions on their happiness; and the
beliefs which have thus come down are the

 of morality for the multitude, and for the
philosopher until he has succeeded in finding
better.µ Pill concludes, however, that we
should always seek improvements.
V Pany philosophers hold that we have
certain rights, either from God, nature, or
from a social contract
V Can the idea of rights be made compatible
with tilitarianism?
V ¬f ignoring rights brings about more
happiness to the greatest number, should
we ignore so-called rights?
V Pill·s rule-based view in On Liberty; having
a right to liberty will bring the greatest
happiness
V ©
  ©
 
V Singled out 67 companies out of the ortune
500 that had at least one illegal act ² ex:
antitrust, product liabilities, discrimination
V 6erformance of the convicted firms were
compared to unconvicted firms (five year
after the fraud was committed)
V Convicted firms experienced significantly
lower return on sales (three year lag)
V Pultiple convictions are more disastrous
V nethical activities can affect long term
performance