Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism
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Slide 1: Slide

This lesson contains 15 slides, with interactive quizzes and text slides.

Items in this lesson

Utilitarianism

Slide 1 - Slide

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Learning Objectives
- Describe utilitarianism, including the utility principle, the hedonic calculus, and act and rule utilitarianism

- Apply different kinds of utilitarian thinking to different ethical issues

- Identify the distinctive contributions of important utilitarian philosophers, including Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, and Peter Singer

- Be aware of suggested strengths and weaknesses of utilitarianism and make judgments about them in theory and practice

Slide 2 - Slide

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What do you already know about utilitarianism?

Slide 3 - Mind map

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Overview of Utilitarianism
- Utilitarianism is an ethical theory devised by Jeremy Bentham

- Principle of utility or 'greatest happiness principle'

- Rightness of an action determined by producing the greatest good for the greatest number

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Key Philosophers
- Jeremy Bentham 
 - John Stuart Mill 
 - Peter Singer

Slide 5 - Slide

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Key Terms
- Hedonism: belief that pleasure is the chief 'good'

- Act Utilitarianism: rightness or wrongness of individual acts calculated by the amount of happiness resulting from these acts

- Utility Principle: rightness or wrongness of an action determined by its usefulness

- Hedonic Calculus: utilitarian system to measure the effects of an action in terms of pleasure

Slide 6 - Slide

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Key Questions in Utilitarianism
- What is the greatest good for the greatest number?

- How do we measure pleasure and pain?

- Should we focus on the consequences of individual acts or adhere to general rules?

Slide 7 - Slide

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The Theory of Utilitarianism
- Developed by Jeremy Bentham

- Emphasizes the pursuit of happiness and pleasure

- Actions are judged based on their overall utility

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The Principle of Utility
- Actions are right if they produce the greatest good for the greatest number

- Utilitarianism aims to maximize overall happiness and well-being

Slide 9 - Slide

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The Hedonic Calculus
- Utilitarian system to measure pleasure and pain

- Considers intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity, fecundity, purity, and extent of pleasure or pain

Slide 10 - Slide

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Act and Rule Utilitarianism
- Act Utilitarianism: rightness or wrongness of individual acts calculated by the amount of happiness resulting from these acts

- Rule Utilitarianism: adherence to general rules that promote overall happiness

Slide 11 - Slide

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Summary
- Hedonism: pleasure is the chief 'good'

- Utility Principle: rightness or wrongness determined by usefulness

- Hedonic Calculus: measure pleasure or pain

- Act Utilitarianism: calculate happiness from individual acts

Slide 12 - Slide

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Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Slide 13 - Open question

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.
Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Slide 14 - Open question

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.
Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

Slide 15 - Open question

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.