ETHICS

CHAPTER 2 Worksheet B

STUDENT’S INFORMATION

GEC – ETHICS Page 1

 Chapter 2
Utilitarianism

Intended Learning Outcome

Within the chapter, the pre-service teacher (PST) must:
1. discuss the basic principles of utilitarian ethics;
2. distinguish between two utilitarian models: the quantitative mode of Jeremy Bentham and
the qualitative model of John Stuart Mill; and
3. Apply utilitarianism in understanding and evaluating local and international scenarios

Time Element: Week 7-8

Direction: Provide answers for each item. DO NOT delete any element on this worksheet.
Answer the questions right after each item or provide another page where your answers can be
found. Upon submission, include the worksheet with answers in the same document. Only one
document in .doc file type shall be submitted; do not make it into a PDF or JPEG file type.

Follow-up Activity
1. Is the “War on Drugs” a form of Utilitarianism? Why? What if violating the civil rights of
the victims (usually, the poor) of “War on Drugs” increases the sum total of pleasure of
the majority (who are middle class and the working group in the society)? Is this
justified? Explain.

- Yes. The "War on Drugs" is a form of Utilitarianism. Because by definition,

Utilitarianism is the belief that activities are justified if they are beneficial to the majority.
In my perspective, winning the "War on Drugs" would be beneficial to the welfare of the
wider population. Some people, however, believe that the "War on Drugs" is unjustified
because it violates the victim's civil rights and raises the total sum of pleasure for the
majority. Although, in my perspective, it is justified because the victims are the drug
users, traffickers, dealers, and pushers, and for the benefit of the majority, they should
be punished by the law or killed regardless of their civil rights in order to pay for their
crimes. The great reality is that the drug trade and drug addiction result in an
unacceptably ripping of society's fabric. Therefore, the "War on Drugs" should continue
to achieve its objectives for the greater good of the society.

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 2. What other current social issues can you consider as a form of Utilitarianism? Explain.

- Mandatory Vaccination against COVID-19 is a current social issue that I may see as a
form of utilitarianism. Vaccinating health workers would enable a more strong health
delivery system in these desperate times from a utilitarian ethical standpoint, which
prioritizes the general welfare of a society. The same case may be made for vaccinating
cops, military, and teachers first, followed by the general public. However, we cannot
ignore the reality that some people oppose mandatory COVID-19 vaccination. These
people may have the right to refuse, but since it is a legal requirement that must be
obeyed for the good of society, they have no choice but to comply.

3. Do you understand the difference between Bentham and Mill? Make a graphic organizer
to support your answer.

Bentham Mill

Bentham advocated that the Mill said that pain and

pleasures and the pains pleasure can't be measured
differ in quantity and not in arithmetically they differ in
quality. He said that pains quality only.
and pleasures can be
computed mathematically.
Mill narrowed down the
gulf between individual
interest and general
According to Bentham
happiness.
utilitarianism there is a gulf
between individual interest
and general happiness.
Mill supported State
control over the institution
of private property by
Bentham purely did holding that it can well
not accept State's impose taxation on the
intervention in the socially-created values.
individual's liberty.

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