1. Jeremey Bentham Founder of Utilitarianism Born: 1748
Died: 1832 (age – 84)
Championed: Animals well-being, Prison reform, women's equality, the abolition of slavery, and maximum personal freedom
Founded the University of London

4. Basic Principles of Utilitarianism
Happiness = Pleasure (both mental and physical Pleasure counts)
Pleasure is always, in itself, a good thing
No particular being’s pleasure or pain matters any more or less than any others’ (Principle of Equal Treatment)
The morally right thing to do, therefore, is that which will produce the greatest total amount of pleasure/happiness (Principle of Utility)
Only Consequences matter for moral evaluations. Intentions mean nothing.

5. Cost Benefit Analysis Descriptive (how we act)
Prescriptive (how we OUGHT to act)
Cost – How can this hurt me?
Benefit – How might this help me?
Cost - How much pain will this cause US
Benefit – How much pleasure will this cause US

6. Rounding up Beggars

7. Case Study: Should Pot be Legal?

8. Bentham’s Utilitarianism
Claims that
Objections
The morality of an action depends only on the consequences of the action; nothing else matters
An actions’ consequences matter only insofar as they involve the greater or lesser happiness of individuals
In the evaluation of consequences, each individual’s happiness gets “equal consideration”
Ignores individual rights and freedom
Mistakenly thinks all pleasures count the same and are all good, and that all pain counts the same and is equally bad

9. John Stuart Mill 1806 – 1873 Genius Poet Politician Philosopher Lover
All around good guy

10. Rule vs. Act Utilitariansim
Act (Bentham)
Rule (Mill)
Each situation, each case, is judged by the principle of utility
Situations, cases, are judged by the rules. Bu the rules are determined by the principle of utility

11. Rights

12. Higher Vs. Lower Pleasures

13. Is Utilitarianism too demanding?
Supererogatory acts
Special Obligations