On your whiteboard: What is teleology? What is hedonism? What is utilitarianism? We tried applying utilitarianism to some ethical issues. What else did we say we needed to know?

Key Question: How does an act utilitarian make moral decisions? Act Utilitarianism Key Question: How does an act utilitarian make moral decisions?

Jeremy Bentham - background HW task – research the social, religious and political background at Bentham’s time.

The Principle of Utility Jeremy Bentham based his theory on The Principle of Utility, which states that:  The right thing to do in any situation is whatever will result in “the greatest good for the greatest number”. Because Bentham is a hedonist, “the greatest good” means the highest balance of pleasure over pain. So for Bentham, any time you have to choose between possible courses of action, you should choose the option which will result in the greatest balance of pleasure over pain.

Example: Remember the example of the terrorist who is going to set off a bomb that will kill thousands of people. Can you shoot him to stop the bomb going off? What would Bentham say? Explain how the principle of utility would apply here.

Act Utilitarianism Bentham’s method of making ethical decisions is also known as Act Utilitarianism, because you have to make this calculation for each act that you ever want to do. But how do we measure the balance of pleasure over pain that will result from an action?

But how do you measure pleasure? The Hedonic Calculus Bentham said in order to make the right decision, we need to work out which action will result in the most pleasure. So we need to know how much pleasure any action will result in. But how do you measure pleasure?

Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply: The Hedonic Calculus Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply:

Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply: Duration The Hedonic Calculus Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply: Duration

Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply: Duration Remoteness The Hedonic Calculus Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply: Duration Remoteness

The Hedonic Calculus Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply: Duration Remoteness Intensity

The Hedonic Calculus Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply: Duration Remoteness Intensity Certainty

The Hedonic Calculus Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply: Duration Remoteness Intensity Certainty Extent

The Hedonic Calculus Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply: Duration Remoteness Intensity Certainty Extent Purity

The Hedonic Calculus Bentham gives us seven criteria to apply: Duration Remoteness Intensity Certainty Extent Purity Succession

Bentham’s Theory as a whole: Act Utilitarianism What are the consequences of each option? How much pleasure/pain results from each consequence? Which action results in the most pleasure? What are the options? Apply Hedonic Calculus Apply Hedonic Calculus Apply Hedonic Calculus Apply Hedonic Calculus Apply Hedonic Calculus Apply Hedonic Calculus

Other key points: We need to subtract the pain from the pleasure to see which action causes the greatest net total of pleasure over pain. Look at this example: Act Utilitarianism is an egalitarian theory because Bentham famously said that when calculating which the right action is: “Each is to count for one, and none for more than one” This means that the happiness or unhappiness of any one person should count for exactly the same amount as anybody else’s. Action A Action B Action C 50 units of pleasure 100 units of pleasure 48 units of pleasure 5 units of pain 100 units of pain 2 units of pain Total: 45 hedons Total: 0 hedons Total: 46 hedons

Let’s try an example… What are the consequences of each option? How much pleasure/pain results from each consequence? Which action results in the most pleasure? What are the options?

Applying the theory… Now choose your own ethical issue and apply Bentham’s Act Utilitarianism.

Before you go… Can you remember all seven points of the hedonic calculus? Is this a good way of measuring pleasure??