Political Science 1020E Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Appeasement, Consequentialism
2 Nov 2016
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125 questions (15 from tutorials 1-6) go over lecture summaries. Utilitarianism: the good and the right (creating the greatest good for the greatest number) The right action is the one that maximizes utility. Utility = happiness, well-being, pleasure, preference and satisfaction. Obey the law if and only if doing so will produce happiness than disobeying. Commitment to equal concern: requirement of maximization: duty to produce as much good as possible. We all value impartial concern, especially as a public value. Obey the law if and only if doing so will produce greater happiness than disobeying (otherwise disobey the law) Don"t justify particular actions by appealing to utility-promotion. Well-being is maximized by each of us disobeying the law. Instead: take an indirect rule: decision rule vs criterion of rightness. Too demanding: asks too much: direct utilitarianism: yes, would be too demanding (world poverty: keep giving until it hurts) Indirect utilitarianism: not necessarily (secure property rights can contribute to greater happiness)
