PHL145H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Epicureanism, Normative Ethics
Document Summary
Utilitarianism will: present and clarify the principle of utility, respond to objections raised against it, provide a proof of utilitarianism (insofar as it is possible) Definition of utility: utility happiness, happiness pleasure and the absence of pain. Principle of utility: actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness, contemporary version: action is right if and only if it maximizes expected general happiness. Higher and lower pleasures: what makes a pleasure better in quality thank another, everyone who knows pleasure a and b prefer it, those who know both pleasures (competent judges) would not give up pleasure. Is(cid:374)"t self-sacrifice a great thing: sacrifices are worthless if not for the sake of a greater happiness, utilitarianism requires impartiality between o(cid:374)e"s own and another people"s happiness. Importance of secondary principles: principle of utility needs to be used only in case of conflict.