What are the main problems What are the main problems with Bentham’s with Bentham’s Utilitarianism?Utilitarianism?

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HereHere’’s a list of pleasures. List s a list of pleasures. List them in descending order of them in descending order of

enjoyableness? enjoyableness? Eating an ice creamEating an ice cream Eating oystersEating oysters Listening to Britney SpearsListening to Britney Spears Listening to MozartListening to Mozart Going round an art galleryGoing round an art gallery Watching NeighboursWatching Neighbours Reading a novel or poetryReading a novel or poetry Running a raceRunning a race Playing RugbyPlaying Rugby Watching RugbyWatching Rugby Doing a favour for a friendDoing a favour for a friend

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John Stuart MillJohn Stuart Mill1806 – 18731806 – 1873

Name:Name: John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill

D.O.B:D.O.B: 20 20thth May 1806 May 1806Occupation:Occupation: English Philosopher, English Philosopher, Political theorist, Political Political theorist, Political economist and Member of economist and Member of ParliamentParliamentLikes:Likes: Long walks on the beach Long walks on the beach and lengthy discussions about and lengthy discussions about morality.morality.Dislikes:Dislikes: Strong spirits, fast food Strong spirits, fast food restaurants, trashy magazines restaurants, trashy magazines and package holidays.and package holidays.Relationship status:Relationship status: Single Single

What Mill disliked about BenthamWhat Mill disliked about Bentham ’’s s view:view:

It failed to differentiate us It failed to differentiate us from animals.from animals.

It failed to account for the It failed to account for the fact that we think of some fact that we think of some pleasures (achieving an A grade) pleasures (achieving an A grade) superior to others (playing superior to others (playing computer games).computer games).

It made NO qualitative It made NO qualitative distinctiondistinction..

Mill wanted to argue that Mill wanted to argue that some pleasures were some pleasures were

““higherhigher””

“It is better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied” (Mill p

260)

ProblemsProblems Can pleasure be Can pleasure be

calculated?calculated?

Are different pleasures Are different pleasures commensurable?commensurable?

• In the same personIn the same person• Between persons?Between persons?

Are all pleasures ‘equal’ – Are all pleasures ‘equal’ –

• Yes, says BenthamYes, says Bentham• No, says MillNo, says Mill

John Stuart Mill 1806-John Stuart Mill 1806-18731873 Bentham’s GodsonBentham’s Godson

Mill believed that quality Mill believed that quality was more important than was more important than quantity when it came to quantity when it came to pleasure. pleasure.

For example, For example, the the pleasures of the mind pleasures of the mind are far superior are far superior to the to the gratification of the gratification of the body’s desires. This body’s desires. This deals with the problem deals with the problem of sadistic torturers, as of sadistic torturers, as their pleasure is of a their pleasure is of a significantly lower kind. significantly lower kind.   

So here’s the story…So here’s the story…

One day, as John was surfing the internet, One day, as John was surfing the internet, researching moral issues, he came across a researching moral issues, he came across a match.com ad. This enticed him as he saw a match.com ad. This enticed him as he saw a

picture alongside the popup of a dashing young picture alongside the popup of a dashing young woman. She called herself Linda. After they woman. She called herself Linda. After they began to chat furiously over several moral began to chat furiously over several moral

issues, Linda interrupted John, suggesting they issues, Linda interrupted John, suggesting they meet over dinner. John contemplated the moral meet over dinner. John contemplated the moral consequences of this action for a moment, and consequences of this action for a moment, and quickly agreed. As long as it was fine dining quickly agreed. As long as it was fine dining

it was sure to be okay!it was sure to be okay!

I believe that an act is right or wrong based on the principle of utility. However, I think that ‘the greatest good’ can be worked out through the definitions of higher and lower pleasures.

On the date…

So what we’re doing now, is it a higher or

lower pleasure?

A higher pleasure. Because not only are we developing our own unique human ability by developing our friendship (wink wink), we are also enjoying and appreciating fine food and drink which was created like a piece of artwork.

Later on…

Even later on…

And now?

Lower pleasure.

Mill QuoteMill Quote

“Better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied… better

to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool

satisfied”

Act and Rule Act and Rule UtilitarianismUtilitarianism

Act utilitarianismAct utilitarianism

Looks at the Looks at the consequences consequences

of each individual act of each individual act and and

calculates utility each calculates utility each time the time the

act is performedact is performed

Rule utilitarianismRule utilitarianism

Looks at the Looks at the consequences consequences

of having everyone follow of having everyone follow a a

particular rule and particular rule and calculatescalculates

the overall utility of the overall utility of acceptingaccepting

or rejecting the ruleor rejecting the rule

An ExampleAn Example

For rule utilitarians, this is an easy choice. No one could approve a general rule that lets hospitals kill patients for their organs when they are going to die anyway. The consequences of adopting such a general rule would be highly negative and would certainly undermine public trust in the medical establishment.

For act utilitarians, the situation is more complex. If secrecy were guaranteed, the overall consequences might be such that in this particular instance greater utility is produced by hastening the death of the homeless person and using his organs for the transplant.

Rule utilitarians claim:

In particular cases, act utilitarianism can justify disobeying important moral rules and violating individual rights.Act utilitarianism also takes too much time to calculate in each and every case.

Act utilitarians respond:

Following a rule in a particular case when the overall utility demands that we violate the rule is just rule-worship. If the consequences demand it, we should violate the rule.

The Continuing Dispute

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So, in general, it can be said that Bentham was an ACT Utilitarian and Mill was a RULE Utilitarian.

G&T

There are some that would argue that Mill was also an Act Utilitarian in some ways. If you want to, you can research this idea.

Was Mill just a Was Mill just a snob??????? snob???????

Mill argued that the lower Mill argued that the lower pleasures were of the pleasures were of the mind, and the higher of mind, and the higher of

the body.the body. He felt that, after He felt that, after the lower bodily needs the lower bodily needs were met we could attend were met we could attend to the higher spiritual, to the higher spiritual, moral, cultural moral, cultural pleasures. (Who pleasures. (Who decides?)decides?)

Vardy and Grosch Vardy and Grosch comment: comment:

““On this view, a person who eats and On this view, a person who eats and drinks in moderation in order to design drinks in moderation in order to design elegant, ecologically –sound clothing is elegant, ecologically –sound clothing is morally superior to the person who is morally superior to the person who is anxious to produce quick, profit-making anxious to produce quick, profit-making designs in order to pursue the pleasures designs in order to pursue the pleasures of sex, food and drinkof sex, food and drink”” (1994:79) (1994:79)

W.D. Ross argued that this W.D. Ross argued that this produces counter-intuitive produces counter-intuitive

outcomes outcomes

Example: who do we save Example: who do we save in the burning bus, our in the burning bus, our son or a famous heart son or a famous heart surgeon who has potential surgeon who has potential to save thousands?to save thousands?

Summary - BenthamSummary - Bentham BenthamBentham’’s hedonistic s hedonistic utilitarianism is unworkable utilitarianism is unworkable

SelfishSelfish Counter-intuitive (happiness is Counter-intuitive (happiness is not the same as pleasure)not the same as pleasure)

Summary: Mill Summary: Mill

MillMill’’s iss is Snobbish (why isnSnobbish (why isn’’t my rap music t my rap music as good as your Mozart?)as good as your Mozart?)

Counter-intuitive (duty and love Counter-intuitive (duty and love contradict it)contradict it)

Case Study 1Case Study 1

“’I killed one man to save 100,000’

Charlotte CordayCharlotte Corday

David’s The death of Marat

Her final wordsHer final words

She was caught and She was caught and guillotined. When asked guillotined. When asked whether she had anything whether she had anything to say she replied:to say she replied:

““Yes. I succeeded!Yes. I succeeded!””

Case Study 2Case Study 2

Lawrence Lawrence Oates Oates

Lawrence OatesLawrence Oates

During an expedition to the During an expedition to the South Pole in 1912. Caught in South Pole in 1912. Caught in a blizzard for a week without a blizzard for a week without enough food, Lawrence walks out enough food, Lawrence walks out into the storm: into the storm: ““I may be gone I may be gone some considerable time,some considerable time,”” he he says, (and was).says, (and was).