Utilitarianism Lecture 2 Dealing with uncertainty Utilitarianism and absolutism Utilitarianism and the good

Objections so far Pig philosophy Motivationally too demanding Not enough time to calculate

Uncertainty Objection: Often uncertain of consequences, so can’t identify the action that maximizes happiness Reply: In cases of uncertainty, choose the action that offers the best “prospect”

Choosing the best prospect Use degrees of confidence to assign probabilities to consequences Weigh possible consequences by both probability and goodness

Example Options: Spend small budget on medications (A) Spend money on lottery tickets and winnings on medication (B) B has a possible consequence that is very good, but its probability is very low A is a better prospect than B

Moral absolutism Claims that morality absolutely prohibits certain actions, no matter how good their consequences Example: inviolable rights Utilitarian: rights are embedded in institutions Is this good enough?

Ex. 1: Sacrifice a healthy patient? Absolutist: Utilitarian must say yes Reply: no, because of long-term and indirect consequences Medical rights thus function as good subordinate principles

Ex. 2: Sacrifice a disaster victim? Absolutist: Utilitarian must say yes Reply: In unusual circumstances, yes is the right answer Attachment to subordinate principles may make it feel wrong It’s a case of choosing the lesser of 2 evils

Ex. 3: Kill innocent person to save hostages? Difference from example 2: human production of the greater evil Absolutist: shows clearly that you bear a special responsibility for what you do, as opposed to what merely happens in consequence of what you do Utilitarian must deny this

Doctrine of negative responsibility Statement: You are as responsible for any outcome you could prevent, and not merely those you directly bring about Utilitarian endorses this Absolutist denies it

Ex. 4: Sophie’s Choice Agent relative obligations and permissions? Utilitarianism says no, except for subordinate principles Nonconsequentialist can make room for these

Ex. 5: Truman’s decision Truman gave a consequentialist argument This could be challenged But absolutists could say that it was wrong even if it maximized human welfare

Utilitarianism and the good Happiness is a mental state, a quality of experience Example: the deluded physician Example: the experience machine

Utilitarianism and the good (2) Examples suggest that the good is more than a mental state Can utilitarianism accommodate this? Might have to abandon the ideal observer method Might have to appeal to moral notions This would depart from consequentialism