PRINCIPLE OF THE

GREATEST NUMBER
LESSON OBJECTIVES

 UNDERSTAND THE PRINCIPLE F GREATEST NUMBER

 DISTINGUISH HGHER FROM LOWER PLEASURE; AND

 APPLY THE DISTINCTION IN UNDERSTANDING

UTILITARIANISM
THINK: THE PRINCIPLE OF THE GREATEST NUMBER

Equating happiness with pleasure does not aim at describing

utilitarian moral agent alone and independently from other.
Utilitarian principle on pleasure is not individual pleasure
regardless of how high and intellectual it is because it is all
about pleasure of the greatest number affected by the result of
actions.
Utilitarian principle cannot lead to selfish acts because to
experience pleasure of act alone cannot be morally good.
 This means that it is necessary to consider everyone’s happiness,
including our own happiness as the standard by which to evaluate what is
moral.
 It implies that utilitarianism is not at all separate from liberal practice that
aim to improve the quality of life for all persons.
 Utilitarianism is interested with everyone’s happiness as in the greatest
happiness in greatest number..
 Accordingly, Mill identified the eradication of disease, using technology,
and other practical technology as example of utilitarianism.
 As a result, utilitarianism maximizes the total amount of pleasure rather than
displeasure for the greatest number.
 Utilitarianism is interested in the with the best consequence for the highest
number of people.
 Moral value cannot be discernible in the intention or motivation of the person
doing the act; it is base solely and exclusively on the difference it makes on the
world’s total amount of pleasure and pain.
 This leads to the question utilitarianism takes moral rights. If actions are not
based only on the greatest happiness of the greatest number, is it justifiable to go
of some rights for the sake of the benefits of the majority.
EXPERIENCE

 The utilitarian of Bentham appears to argue that the interest of a few

persons can be sacrificed if it benefits a greater number.
 In this case is it more preferrable to build a church rather than build a
firing range for there are more church goers than soldiers in need of firing
ranges?
 Do you agree?
ASSESS

 DISCUSS WITH YOUR CLASSMATES:

 Is every good commensurable?
 Can we weigh different good using the common scale?
 Is it possible that the value of some good, such as love or hope, is not
comparable with the value of other goods, like money?
 Do you thinks that pleasures should be counted, even objectionable pleasures,
like the pleasure that terrorists derive from being fundamentalists?
CHALLENGE

 John Stuart Mill revises Bentham utilitarianism and calculus by referring

to the hierarchy of pleasure.
 But who or what pleasure are considered higher or more preferrable?
 He argues that the determination of the better pleasure is dependent on
the decision of a majority of people who experienced both pleasures.
 But does it mean that the majority really aims at higher pleasure?
HARNESS

 When listening to the Philippines government’s argument in favor of the

anti-terror law, to what extent do you think are these based on utilitarian
ground?
 Identify three arguments and demonstrate why these are utilitarianism.