Utilitarianism
GOOD: Only one intrinsic good: happiness = pleasure and
absence of pain.
RIGHT: that action that produces the greatest happiness of greatest
number.
The utilitarian decides on morally right course of action by adding up effects on happiness of everyone involved. The right action is the one that produces the greatest total happiness.
When an objection is made to a proposed principle (such as the utilitarian
principle above) the proponent of the principle has 3 choices:
1. Accept that the principle has objectionable results and reject
the principle
2. Deny that the results are objectionable and continue to accept
the principle
3. Attempt to show that the objectionable results do not follow
from the principle.
Objection #1: cannot account for the rights of the individual; individual
will always be sacrificed to general good
Response: sacrificing individual rights does not promote greatest happiness
because of long term consequences and side effects, e.g., fear & anxiety
among general population
Problem with response: gives the wrong kind of reason for protecting
individual rights. Rights are protected not for the sake of the individual
but for the sake of others.
Objection #2: appears to permit acting wrongly in certain circumstances
or if no one finds out; but intuitively what is right can't depend on whether
people know about it
Response: Rule-utilitarianism (right=following rules that, if
generally followed, would produce greatest happiness for greatest number)
Problem with response: rule-utilitarianism seems to collapse
into act-utilitarianism.
Objection #3: broad view of obligation - no distinction between
wrong actions and actions that are not morally best
Here, utilitarian is likely to "swallow" the result.