HSCI 319W Study Guide - Midterm Guide: John Stuart Mill, Act Utilitarianism, Harm Principle
17 May 2018
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What is humanity? Describe an action not mentioned in class
Humanity is when humans are the only inherently valuable thing. They are not governed by bodily urges or pleasure and can choose
to take o higher pleasures Mills. Huas are free-choosing aials.
Formula:
1. Never treat people as objects; recognize and see them as having the capacity to choose
2. Hel people in their capacity to choose for themselves (choose for those without capacity like animals and children)
Pros
Cons
Proote others apacity to act
rationally
“houldt thart free eerise of ratioalit through oerio fore or deeptio
(tricks)
What does a violation of humanity look like?
Acts deliberately committed as part of a widespread/systematic attack directed against civilization. Causing harm to others is a
violation of humanity.
Duty
Perfect Duty
Imperfect Duty
Always be discharged in a negative form
Ex. Non-alefiee dot iflit eil or har to others and non-
coercion (not using force or intimidation to obtain compliance)
Allow discretion as to when to be discharged in a positive
form
Ex. Beneficence (action done for benefit of others; prevent
or remove harm) or improve the situation of others
Compare/contrast Mill Vs. Bentham
Bentham (utilitarianism and utility)
Mills (liberty and utilitarianism)
Utilitarianism
• motivated by 2 elements: pain and pleasure
• treats animals and humans the same
• yield the greatest amount of pleasure
• no difference between pleasure and pain
utility:
• produce benefit, advantage, pleasure, good, happiness
etc.
• free-floatig ojet
greatest happiess priiple
• greatest good for the greatest number
• keep pleasure and avoid pain (promote happiness in
general)
higher ad loer pleasures
• Higher pleasure: not to be sacrificed for any amount of
lower pleasure (not everyone experiences higher pleasures)
Principle of Utility (Bentham)
Principle of Utility
Failure to recognize
• Tells individuals how to act/behave
• Promote utility to self and others
• Tells us how the gov. should act -> public/health policy
(brings most happiness)
• Only cares about degree of pleasure, NOT source of
pleasure
• No higher/lower quality of pleasure
• Pleasure=pain (no difference)
Utilitarianism:
Agree
Disagree
1. Utility ought to be promoted for everyone
2. Outcome/consequences of action that matters
1. Whether utility ought to be extended to animals
2. Whether utility takes form of diff. goods
3. Between rules/act utilitarianism
4. As to what utility ought to be promoted
Higher and Lower Pleasures (Mills)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Utilitarianism -> higher and lower pleasures
Objections
soe kid of pleasures are ore desirale ad ore aluale
tha others
- higher pleasures are preferred over lower pleasures even if
the higher pleasure entails greater amount of discontent
1. people know lower pleasures have less value but choose it
out of ifirit of harater
• Act from weak will
• Inability to act on
2. lack of exercise or vulgar surroundings
• Capacity to enjoy higher pleasures is destroyed
• Lost ability to engage in love/deep friendships (wallow
in lower pleasure)
Give an example of a higher pleasure and why it is one
A higher pleasure could be considered as love because it is more desirable than friendship and is more valuable.
Act vs. Rule Utilitarianism
Act Utilitarianism
Rule Utilitarianism
Perform an act to yield the greatest amount of utility
• actions that maximize utility (ex. Making policies to
increase utility)
Perform an act that is sanctioned by a set of rules that, if
everyone obeys, would yield the greatest amount of utility
• create a system of rules that are followed -> brings out
most utility
• rules are useful -> no need to calculate how to
behave/act
Compare simplistic view with sophisticated view
Simplistic
Sophisticated
General
Is criticized and short-sided
Doest look ito log-term implications of it
Top-down process
Doest take other fators ito osideratio
Better at taking the whole implications of policy
into account
Engage in long-term
Concerned with applying policies in long-term
Gives preferences to make it easier to accept
utility
Public Health
Public health policies are justified to max. overall health
(utility)
Ex. Compulsory vaccinations for flu -> prevent infection ->
promote health for everyone
Utility of personal freedom (trust)
Protect utilitarianism from self-defeat
Worries
Extreme policies that take it too far or limits autonomy
• How should autonomy be valued?
• Need to calculate values and gains
Need to consider utility/greatest amount of
pleasure/happiness
2 Types of Autonomy (reason to obey law)
Heteronomous motivation
Autonomous motivation
other ruled otiatio
follow laws because it is in our interest to do so
fear of satio if e dot follo the
self ruled otiatio
follow law because we think the law itself has value
Compare 2 concepts to autonomy and argue for strength/weakness of each (which is better?)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Compare/contrast Relative and Factual Autonomy:
Relational autonomy
Factual Autonomy
- be able to formulate and act on your own desires/assumptions of a
good life
- requires support from community (housing, healthcare, etc.)
- social justice (freedom from internalized and social racism
- sense of self is relational (formed over time within web of personal
relationships)
- social structures make autonomous choices possible
- limited way of acting and using information
- non-interference
- factual information that is processed and then acted
upon
Maxim: Principle/rule of conduct
Ex. I will volunteer to help the homeless (action -> consequence -> result)
• Actions are assessed (NOT their consequences)
Action:
Taken in accordance with duty
NOT reason that it’s a duty
Taken in accordance with duty
FOR reason that it’s a duty
be honest out of incline to do it but for wrong
reason/motivation
Ex. Duty to not lie to others
Honest out of inline to do it for right reason/motivation
Ex. Duty to return lost items
Compare/contrast Inclination and law
Inclination
Law
Not hose ut or ito us
We hoose ased o ho e are
Applies to everyone
No choice, everyone must follow
Duty as Law
Moral Maxims
Formula of Universal Law
People who act out of a sense of duty
Maxims = laws
Laws apply to everyone equally
Only maxims that have the form of a law
Mortality has an element of choice (live/die)
Ex. Trip and fall on someone -> not morally
responsible VS. hit and run -> morally
responsible
at aordig to the ai here
you can at the same time will that it
should be a universal law
maxims must apply to everyone
shouldt fore people to
like/believe in something)
Ex. Universal freedom of expression
Kantianism/Deontology (Kant and Ross):
1. Duty-based -> some behaviours are morally obligatory or prohibited (Prima facie duties like gratitude, justice, beneficence,
etc.)
2. Beneficence -> acts performed for the overall benefit of a patient (doing good)
3. Categorical imperative -> universally binding, unconditional, or absolute moral requirement
4. Autonomy -> ability of individuals to govern themselves, formulate and pursue their own goals and values
• Used as a corrective measure to simplistic utilitarianism
• Good faith examination of maxims behind actions
• Sophisticated accounts of autonomy
Worries:
• overemphasis on duty rather than caretaking
• overemphasis on rules and maxims
• dignity and cognitive limitations
• hard to find maxims behind actions
• may limit extremely helpful public health interventions
• formula of humanity -> requires consent for all interventions (infringement on autonomy)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Humanity is when humans are the only inherently valuable thing. They are not governed by bodily urges or pleasure and can choose to take o(cid:374) higher pleasures (cid:894)mills(cid:895). Formula: never treat people as objects; recognize and see them as having the capacity to choose, hel people in their capacity to choose for themselves (choose for those without capacity like animals and children) Hould(cid:374)(cid:859)t th(cid:449)art free e(cid:454)er(cid:272)ise of ratio(cid:374)alit(cid:455) through (cid:272)oer(cid:272)io(cid:374) (cid:894)for(cid:272)e(cid:895) or de(cid:272)eptio(cid:374) (tricks) Acts deliberately committed as part of a widespread/systematic attack directed against civilization. Causing harm to others is a violation of humanity. Non-(cid:373)alefi(cid:272)e(cid:374)(cid:272)e (cid:894)do(cid:374)(cid:859)t i(cid:374)fli(cid:272)t e(cid:448)il or har(cid:373) to others(cid:895) and non- coercion (not using force or intimidation to obtain compliance) Allow discretion as to when to be discharged in a positive form. Beneficence (action done for benefit of others; prevent or remove harm) or improve the situation of others.
