1. What is the difference between these two situations?
Utilitarianism: An Introduction
Can you think of an example where a desirable consequence justifies an ‘wrong’ action?
Can you give an example where are desirable consequence does not justify a ‘wrong’ action?
What is the difference between these two situations?

2. Introducing Utilitarianism:
You have just moved to a new country. You like your new house and the weather is great. Everything is going well although this country has a Life Lottery. Every month, one person is picked at random and they are killed for their organs. Their organs are all used and can help 20 different people who need transplants.
What would be the purpose of this type of system?
Could it ever be theoretically justified?
Bentham argues that humans are motivated by pleasure and pain. Bentham was a hedonist (greek for pleasure).
They want to maximise pleasure and minimise pain.

3. Ethics Virtue Theory Normative ethics Meta- ethics Applied ethics
Absolutist normative Ethics
Relativist normative ethics
Environment
Teleological
Sexual Ethics
Deontological
Virtue Theory
War and Peace
Situation ethics
Equality
Natural Moral Law
Utilitarianism
Kantian ethics
Medical Ethics

4. Utilitarianism: Type of theory
From the diagram above you need to complete the following sentences:
Utilitarianism is a …………….ethical theory. This means that morality is derived from the potential …………….of actions.
This is a branch of ……………..ethics, which means that the theory aims to determine how individuals should ……in different situations.
Bentham argues that humans are motivated by pleasure and pain. Bentham was a hedonist (greek for pleasure).
They want to maximise pleasure and minimise pain.

5. Utilitarianism: Type of theory
From the diagram above you need to complete the following sentences:
Utilitarianism is a Teleological Ethical theory. This means that morality is derived from the potential consequences of actions.
This is a branch of Normative Ethics, which means that the theory aims to determine how individuals should act in different situations.
Bentham argues that humans are motivated by pleasure and pain. Bentham was a hedonist (greek for pleasure).
They want to maximise pleasure and minimise pain.

6. Utilitarianism: the basics
In essence, Utilitarianism states that you should act in a way which will benefit the most amount of people in society. The rightness or wrongness is judged by it’s utility: the measure of how useful it is at producing goodness for the majority.
THINK/ PAIR/ SHARE:
Can you think of any examples of actions that might benefit the majority of people in society?
Why do they benefit the majority? What is the good consequence they produce?
Bentham argues that humans are motivated by pleasure and pain. Bentham was a hedonist (greek for pleasure).
They want to maximise pleasure and minimise pain.

7. Social Context: Questions
What did Robert Goodin mean when he claimed “Utilitarianism is whatever stripe is, first and foremost, a standard for judging public action”?
For whom was Bentham’s act utilitarianism beneficial to and why?
What was Bentham’s aim in society?
What was Bentham’s views on religion?

9. The social and intellectual background to Utilitarianism
When did the theory develop?
Mid 18th Century
Where was it developed?
London
By whom?
Jeremy Bentham
What had the greatest influence upon its development? The social impact of the Industrial Revolution

10. The Industrial Revolution:
Began in Britain in the late 1700’s
Prior to this manufacturing was often done in people’s homes, using hand tools and basic machinery
Industrialisation marked a shift to powered, special-purpose machinery, factories and mass- production.

11. Advantages consequences of the Industrial Revolution
Strengthened economy: higher production rates, higher quality and diversity of goods
Improved systems of transportation
Improved systems of communication and banking
Raised standards of living for the middle and upper classes

12. 1. The Motivation of Human Beings 2. The principle of Utility
Jeremy Bentham
1. The Motivation of Human Beings
2. The principle of Utility
3. The Hedonic Calculus
John Stuart Mill
Rule Utilitarianism
Act Utilitarianism
Bentham argues that humans are motivated by pleasure and pain. Bentham was a hedonist (greek for pleasure).
They want to maximise pleasure and minimise pain.
Preference Utilitarianism
Negative Utilitarianism
Ideal Utilitarianism

13. Negative consequences of the Industrial Revolution
Increased homelessness and poverty, especially in big cities
Low wages and little job security for unskilled workers
Poor working conditions
Increased child labour
Increased alcoholism and prostitution

14. Why Utilitarianism?
THINK- PAIR- SHARE: How does the Bentham's classic act utilitarianism (perform actions which produce the most amount of good for the majority) address the social problems caused by the IR?
Bentham's act utilitarianism addresses the problems caused by the Industrial Revolution because…

15. Social Context: Questions
What did Robert Goodin mean when he claimed “Utilitarianism is whatever stripe is, first and foremost, a standard for judging public action”?
For whom was Bentham’s act utilitarianism beneficial to and why?
What was Bentham’s aim in society?
What was Bentham’s views on religion?

16. Industrial revolution
Recap plenary- pick at least 3 words from the selection below & explain them!
Industrial revolution
Consequentialist
Jeremy Bentham
Teleological
Principle of Utility
Relativist

17. HOMEWORK
In preparation for next lesson, read through the information about Jeremy Bentham (the founder of classical act utilitarianism) and answer the questions below:
When did Bentham develop his ideas of utility?
What is the principle of utility?
What is the role of governments, according to Bentham?
How can happiness be attained according to Bentham?