03 Consequentialism and Utilitarianism Free Online FlashCards

What determines an action’s moral status in consequentialism?

Consequentialism holds that an action’s moral status depends on the value of its consequences.

What does utilitarianism add to consequentialism?

Utilitarianism says to promote overall good, counting each affected person’s good impartially.

How do utilitarian theories differ in what counts as welfare?

Classical utilitarians such as Bentham and Mill chiefly identified the good with happiness or pleasure and the avoidance of suffering. Contemporary views may focus on preference satisfaction, well-being, or other goods.

What does it mean for utilitarianism to be maximizing?

Utilitarianism is usually maximizing: it requires choosing the option with the greatest overall welfare, not merely one that is good enough.

What does impartiality mean in utilitarianism?

Impartiality means each person’s welfare counts without extra weight merely because of who they are. It does not require identical treatment when needs or consequences differ.

What does total utilitarianism aim to maximize?

Total utilitarianism seeks the greatest sum of welfare across people.

What does average utilitarianism aim to maximize?

Average utilitarianism seeks the greatest average welfare per person.

How can utilitarianism distinguish rightness from decision-making?

A theory’s standard of rightness explains what makes an action right; a decision method is a practical way to choose. Following familiar rules can be useful if doing so generally leads to better results.

What is the rights objection to consequentialism?

Critics argue that maximizing overall welfare might permit violating one person’s rights, such as punishing an innocent person, if enough others benefit.

How might consequentialists respond to the rights objection?

Consequentialists can argue that injustice, fear, and lost trust cause serious harm; rule consequentialists add that rules protecting rights may produce better outcomes when generally accepted.

What is the separateness-of-persons objection?

The separateness-of-persons objection says that benefits to many people do not automatically compensate the distinct person who suffers a severe harm.

What is the demandingness objection?

The demandingness objection says that maximizing may require sacrificing personal resources whenever they could produce more good elsewhere, leaving little room for personal projects.