An Introduction to Ethics Week One: Introduction and Utilitarianism

Introduction Course info: two hour sessions, once per week for six weeks. There are no books to buy, nor are there any (formal) assessments. Course format: Lecture lasting (roughly) fifty minutes (*perhaps* preceded by student presentation). Short break. Discussion. Conclusion. Contact info (for coursework related issues):

Introduction ‘Three sorts’ of ethics. 1. Meta – what sort of thing is ‘morality’? Are moral statements (e.g. x is wrong) statements of belief, or expressions of preferences? Or perhaps something else? 2. Normative – What makes something ‘good’ or ‘bad’? Or, ‘what criteria does (e.g.) an action have to satisfy to be called (e.g.) ‘good’’. 3. Practical – Is abortion/euthanasia (morally) permissible?

Introduction ‘Three sorts’ of ethics. 1. Meta – what sort of thing is ‘morality’? Are moral statements (e.g. x is wrong) statements of belief, or expressions of preferences? Or perhaps something else? 2. Normative – What makes something ‘good’ or ‘bad’? Or, ‘what criteria does (e.g.) an action have to satisfy to be called (e.g.) ‘good’’. 3. Practical – Is abortion/euthanasia (morally) permissible?

Introduction We’ll be looking at three very influential (normative) theories. Each account has contemporary supporters/detractors. 1. Utilitarianism (J.S. Mill) 2. Deontology (Kant) 3. Virtue Ethics (Aristotle)

Utilitarianism: A Quick Biog of J.S. Mill John Stuart Mill ( ) Son of noted Scottish (utilitarian) philosopher and economist James Mill (who was a good friend of Jeremy Bentham – perhaps the next most important utilitarian after J.S.). Taught Greek at three –read extensively and by age of eight had read Herodotus, Aesop, Xenophon and Plato. Taught Latin at eight. At the age of thirteen, J.S. began studying the economic theories of Smith and Ricardo. At the age of twenty, Mill suffers a mental breakdown (surprise). Claims reading Wordsworth helped him recover. Fought for women’s rights as an MP (first person in Parliament to call for women to have the vote!), and was a vocal supporter for social reforms.

Utilitarianism: A Quick Biog of J.S. Mill Prolific writer on economics, philosophy, politics. Most attention is given to two works: 1. On Liberty (1859) 2. Utilitarianism (1863)

Utilitarianism: A Quick Biog of J.S. Mill Prolific writer on economics, philosophy, politics. Most attention is given to two works: 1. On Liberty (1859) 2. Utilitarianism (1863)

Utilitarianism Utilitarianism = ‘do that which promotes utility’. What is ‘utility’?

Utilitarianism “The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals, Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure” (Utilitarianism §2, 2 – 2.5) Quantifying utility

Utilitarianism A philosophy fit only for swine? Bentham – no qualitative difference Mill – higher vs lower pleasures (Haydn and the Oyster)

Utilitarianism Oyster wins if calculation is merely intensity x duration. "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, are of a different opinions, it is because they only know their side of the question.”

Utilitarianism Act Vs Rule Act – individual situations (shoplifting from Waterstones…) Rule – Act according to rules that generally promote utility.

Utilitarianism Introduction of Rights (to be revisited next week).