Utilitarianism Resources
<p>Aug 29, 2009 10:37 AM
 
Wonderful book (the link is from the node above)  HINMAN is the author.
 
p 137  Do utilitarians take into acct conseqs for all humans or just a subset  (eg those in my country);
how abt future generations;  how abt all sentient beings includ animals, how abt thre natl environment?
 
More recent versions take into acct higher (ideal) goods.
 
Orig Jeremy Bentham's work was influential.  1748 to 1832.
His postion was max pleas and min pain for a whole group (not the indiv).
Came to be known as the "pig's philosophy.
 
Mill and Happiness.
J S Mill 1806-1873.   was Benthams godson...  refined it to mean  greatest happiness rather
tahn greatest pleasure.  This is called  eudaimonistic  utilitarianism.
 
Pleas vs Happiness   138
 
Peter Railton:  prefers to call it CONSEQUENTIALISM  (see HINMAN's interview of him on p 145.
It takes a lot of evidence to make the call as to a partic decision.
 
page 150  Time to Calculate:  most of time we use rules of thumb to summarize past experiences.
Util. claim that they get the best of both worlds:  generally rely on rules of moral life without being caught up
in rule worship.  Only do serious consequ. calculations when called for.
 
The limits of prediction:  this is just part of the human condition;  we have limits in our ability to simulate
the future;  doesn't mean we should not try.
 
John RAWLS a theory of justice. 1971,
 
p 168  Fundamental Projects
 
 
 
 
 
 
Happiness pertain more to the mind or spirit than the body.
Pleasure is bodily and of short duration.  related to satiating a need (thirst, hunger, sexual arousal).
 
Happiness seems to lie in the realization of certain goals, hopes, or plans for ones life.
If these goals are intrinsically rewarding we do not tire of them as we do with pleasures.
 
Happiness - alarge evaluative component.  Happiness is very diffic to quantify (unlike pleasure)
 
Preference Utilitarians:  Kenneth Arrow.    Ideal Util  (justice, freedom etc)  multip scales  G. E. Moore.
 
Hedons and Dolors.
 
 
ACT utilitarianism   .... each indiv action should maxim the greatest good.
 
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