Ethics- BatStateU
MODULE 17
UTILITARIANISM
Learning Objectives
At the end of the topic, students are expected to:
a) understand utilitarianism.
b) understand Principle of Utility of Jeremy Bentham
c) Understand the John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism.
Learning Content
Utilitarianism
Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that places the locus of right and wrong solely on the
outcomes (consequences) of choosing one action/policy over other actions/policies. As such, it
moves beyond the scope of one's own interests and takes into account the interests of others.
Jeremy Bentham’ Principle of Utility
1. Recognizes the fundamental role of pain and pleasure in human life,
2. Approves or disapproves of action on the basis of the amount of pain or pleasure brought
about i.e, consequences,
3. Equates good with pleasure and evil with pain, and
4. Asserts that pleasure and pain are capable of quantification (and hence 'measure').
In measuring pleasure and pain, Bentham introduces the following criteria: INTENSITY,
DURATION, CERTAINTY (or UNCERTAINTY), and its NEARNESS (or FARNESS). He also
includes its "fecundity" (will more of the same follow?) and its "purity" (its pleasure won't be
followed by pain & vice versa). In considering actions that affect numbers of people, we must
also account for its EXTENT.
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John Stuart Mill
He adjusted the more hedonistic tendencies in Bentham's philosophy by emphasizing:
1. It is not the quantity of pleasure, but the quality of happiness that is central to
utilitarianism,
2. the calculus is unreasonable -- qualities cannot be quantified (there is a distinction
between 'higher' and 'lower' pleasures), and
3. utilitarianism refers to "the Greatest Happiness Principle" -- it seeks to promote the
capability of achieving happiness (higher pleasures) for the most amount of people (this
is its "extent").
Act and Rule Utilitarianism
We can apply the principle of utility to either PARTICULAR ACTIONS or GENERAL
RULES. The former is called "act-utilitarianism" and the latter is called "rule-utilitarianism."
Act-utilitarianism -- The principle of utility is applied directly to each alternative act in a
situation of choice. The right act is then defined as the one which brings about the best results (or
the least amount of bad results). Criticisms of this viewpoint to the difficulty of attaining full
knowledge and certainty of the consequences of our actions. It is possible to justify immoral acts
using AU: Suppose you could end a regional war by torturing children whose fathers are enemy
soldiers, thus revealing the hideouts of the fathers.
Rule-utilitarianism -- The principle of utility is used to determine the validity of rules of conduct
(moral principles). A rule like promise-keeping is established by looking at the consequences of
a world in which people broke promises at will and a world in which promises were binding.
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Right and wrong are then defined as following or breaking those rules. Some criticisms of this
position point out that if the Rules take into account more and more exceptions, RU collapses
into AU. More general criticisms of this view argue that it is possible to generate "unjust rules"
according to the principle of utility. For example, slavery in Greece might be right if it led to an
overall achievement of cultivated happiness at the expense of some mistreated individuals.
Learning Activity
Directions:
If you were an utilitarian, write a creative essay entitled, “The Duterte Administration’s
Response to COVID-19 Pandemic.”
Essay Rubric
Points
5 4 3 2 1
Earned
The essay The essay The essay The essay The essay
is fully is is is shows
IDEAS focused consistentl sufficiently minimally little or
● Controlling and y focused focused focused. no focus
idea contains a and and The and the
● Supporting wealth of contains contains provided ideas are
ideas ideas and ample some ideas examples unclear,
● Use of examples. ideas and and are vague irrelevant
details The writer examples. examples. or general , or
● Awareness
uses The writer The and the repetitive
of purpose
● Sense of rhetorical may response is response . The
completeness strategies employ generally demonstrat response
and rhetorical appropriate es minimal is
addresses strategies to the awareness. incomplet
counterarg or address persuasive e or too
uments. counterarg purpose. brief.
uments.
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