UTILITARIANISM

UTILITARIANISM

- States that what is useful is good, and that the

morap value of actions are determined by the
utility of its consequences.
- Argues that the right course of action is one
that macimizes overall happimess.
 Principles of Utility:
1. Act Utilitarianism- this priciple is applied
directly to every alternative act in a situation
choice.

2. Rule Utilitarianism- this principle is used to

decide the validity of rules of conduct.
 BENTHAM’S UTILITARIANISM

• States that an action is right in so far ad it

tends to produce the greatest happiness for
the greatest number of people.
• it considers the advancement of the greatest
happiniess for the as the supreme objective
of human action.
SOURCES OF PLEASURE:
1.Physical
2.Moral
3.Religious
4.Political
• HEDONIC CALCULUS- also known as
Quantitative Hedonist.
• CRITERIA TO QUANTIFY AMOUNT OF
PLEASURE OR PAIN:
Intensity, Duration, Certainty,
Propinquity, Fecundity, Purity, Shared among
the greatest number.
 MILL’S UTILITARIANISM

• Rejects the purely quantitative

treatment of the principle of
utility.
• Qualitative Hedonist
• He distinguished the higher and lower
pleasures.
• Lower Pleasure: Physical pleasure
( experience of sex, food and drink)
Higher Pleasures: Intellectual,
Political and Spiritual pleasures.