GROUP 3

UTILITARIANISM
LESSON IV
 WHAT IS

UTILITARIANISM?

Derived from the Latin term "UTILITIS" ( useful )

Utilitarianism is basically states that what is useful is good, and

that the moral value of actions are determined by the utility of
its consequences. It explains that those actions that bring
about favorable effects are moral while those that produce
damaging result are immoral.

The key principle of utilitarianism is the PRINCIPLE OF HAPPINESS

CONSEQUENTIALIST
ETHICS
Sense of, "following as an effect or result."

CONSEQUENTIA (Latin)
is simply the view that normative properties depend only
on whether an act is morally right depends only on
consequences (as opposed to the circumstances or the
intrinsic nature of the act or anything that happens
before the act).

is a theory that says whether something is good or bad

depends on its outcomes. An action that brings about
more benefit than harm is good, while an action that
causes more harm than benefit is not.
 The Principle of utility can be applied to either
particular actions or general rules. the former is
usually called 'act-utilitarianism' and the latter, 'rule-
utilitarianism'.
ACT-UTILITARIANISM

The priciple of utility is applied directly to every

alternative act in situation of choice. The right act is then
defined as the one which brings about the best result, or,
the least amount of bad results.

RULE-UTILITARIANISM

The principle of utility is used to decide the validity of

rules of conduct. A moral rule such as promise-keeping
is established by evaluating the consequences of a
world in which promises were binding. Moral and
immoral are then defined as following or breaking those
rules.

5
ORIGIN AND NATURE
OF THE THEORY
JEREMY BENTHAM (1748-1832)
Utilitarianism was devised by Jeremy
Bentham. He proposed introduction to the
principled of morals and legislation
published in 1789.

BENTHAM'S UTILITARIANISM
Principle of Utility-Natural law, natural rights
or social contacts which serves as the
objectives barometer in ethically evaluating
human action, state laws and legal systems.
ORIGIN AND NATURE
OF THE THEORY
JOHN STUART MILL (1808-73)

He was a british philosopher. Son of James

Mill a philosopher and economist. Member
of the philosophical radicals. He made
doctrine the subject of his philosophical
treatise (1863)

MILL'S UTILITARIANISM
Mill defines happiness as pleasure and the
absence of pain. He argues that pleasure
can differ in quality and quantity, and that
pleasures that are rooted in one's high
faculties should be weighted more heavily
than pleasures of lower qualities.
 EPICURUS
(341-270 B.C.)

Explained that while the good or happy life is the life of pleasure.

PHYSICAL PLEASURES
belongs to the lower pleasures or those which animals
can experienced such as these from food, drink, and sex.

INTELLECTUAL

higher pleasure which includes artistic, political and even

spiritual pleasures.
 AN ANALYSIS OF UTILITARIANISM

Utilitarian analysis is a method where expected costs and benefits are

determined and weighed to evaluate whether the action is good or bad.
THE IMPORTANCE OF
UTILITARIANISM

Utilitarianism is one of the best known and most influential

moral theories. Like other forms of consequentialism, its core
idea is that whether actions are morally right or wrong
depends on their effects. More specifically, the only effects of
actions that are relevant are the good and bad results that
they produce.
UTILITARIANISM
WEAKNESS OF
It is good to consider the consequences of our actions,
but these are difficult to predict with any accuracy.

It can be criticised because it seems to ignore the

importance of duty. An act may be right or wrong for
reasons other than the amount of good or evil it
produces.

Another weakness is the emphasis on pleasure or

happiness. If I seek my own happiness it is impossible for
me to seek general happiness and to do what ought to
do.
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