...hedonistic utilitarianism as well as an objection to this theory, the experience machine objection. Robert Nozick introduced this objection. Following an explanation of both hedonistic utilitarianism and the experience machine objection I will be critically evaluating the objection. I am going to argue that the experience machine objection is valid against hedonistic utilitarianism because there are people who would not plug into the machine. There are some people who prefer to physically do things not just experience them, don’t want to be limited to a man-made reality and want to make a difference in the world. Two key contributors to the normative moral theory of utilitarianism are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. Utilitarianism specifies what makes an action morally correct or incorrect. The theory suggests, “actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness and wrong, as they tend to produce the opposite of happiness.” (Mill 454) It is a type of consequentialism as even though the act itself may be morally wrong, if it produces the best consequences it is seen as a morally right action. For example, killing one healthy human to use their organs to cure four other humans would be seen as morally wrong however, according the theory of utilitarianism it would produce the greatest amount of utility, thus being seen as moral. Utility can be defined as a unit of value, and for Mill, this unit to calculate utility is happiness. One of the better-known branches of utilitarianism...
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...structured into three parts, the id, the ego, and the superego. These are the mechanisms through which self develops. The Id is the unconscious self and the source of our libidinal drive. It is what gives us hunger and appetite. The id is not socially constructed. The id is an amoral agency that is expressed in Eros and Thanatos, the life and death drives. The Id also gives us that strong emotional feeling like fear, anger and desire. It is a bundle of drives that derive at birth. The id is uncensored, not capable of waiting for gratification, quite selfish, and even violent. It can be a great source of creativity, but it needs to be controlled. Which is exactly what the ego does. The ego, Freud says is the conscious self. More broadly, the thoughts and behaviors of the self that can potentially be conscious. The ego responds to social pressures and standards such as mores, or the customs of a society. The ego is socially constructed, and as it grows in strength it gets better at impulse control, it makes us responsible, inhibits bad behavior, and plans for the future with a realistic eye for possibilities. Everyone needs a strong ego; it is what makes decisions for you. The superego is our conscience. It is like having an internalized parental representative in your head. This stage is what makes you feel guilty about having certain desires. There is a cop inside your head that is regulating your behavior. It oversees and censors the actions and thoughts of the ego. The super ego is...
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...Stuart Mill Prepared for Professor Sandra Gates Kaplan University Prepared by Lea Geckler November 1, 2011 INTRODUCTION This report discusses the history, theories, proof and weaknesses of John Stuart Mill ideals on Utilitarianism. Mill believes that if people participate in ethical actions it will create pleasure in life, and that is what most people want in life is pleasure not pain. Utilitarian’s believe the only things worth having are pleasurable experiences. Unfortunately not all experiences are pleasurable and they cause pain. Utilitarian’s define good and evil in terms of ethical and non-ethical consequences of pleasure and pain. (Brooks & Dunn, Chapter 3 pg.150) Simply stated do the ethical action and be rewarded with pleasure or do the unethical actions and be rewarded with pain, which can be physical or mental. Mill explains that pleasure and pain can be qualitative and quantitative for example; if you have a project and it time consuming, stressful and mentally exhausting this is the quantitative aspect but getting recognition from your manager or top management on a job well done is the qualitative aspect and that is the pleasure. HISTORYOF JOHN STUART MILL Mill was educated by his father and Jeremy Bentham, the founder of Utilitarianism in modern ethical thought (Encyclopedia of Ethics). He learned Greek at the age of three, Latin by the age of 8, a competent logician by the age of 12 and by age 16 a well trained economist. He had a mental...
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...Aristotle’s Account of Pleasure We are a pleasure driven society always waiting to be amused. Self indulgence is a very natural aspect of human life. Does pleasure affect our lives? Will it make us happy at the end? Well, Aristotle will let us know what it means to be happy and have a good life in the Nicomachean Ethics. In the process, he reveals his own account of pleasure as well as other philosophers opposing views on the subject. The author highlights the key them by telling us that pleasure is not the chief good. However, it is an end in itself, which makes it good. In addition, pleasure is also not a process because it doesn’t involve any movement from incompleteness to completeness. According to Aristotle, happiness is known as the Greek word Eudemonia. It is the chief good which makes it an end in itself and is what we should all aim for. In the Ethics Aristotle is trying to unfold the opposed views of other philosophers. The first view is based on the principle that pleasure is good, whereas the second view is believed by some that pleasure is a negative concept. Philosophers such as Eudoxus, agree with the first view and argues that we all try to avoid pain instead desire pleasure therefore, pleasure must be good. It may not be the final good, but it is an end in itself. He also argues that when pleasure is added to any good, it makes it better. For example, to just temperate actions makes it worthy of choice, and that it is only by itself that good...
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...was only focussed on where I wanted to be and that wasn’t there in that moment. In that moment I was focussed on one thing, the “good life.” In that moment, as I powered down my coffee trying to study, it wasn’t because I wanted to learn, but because I wanted my Ferrari. I was studying business not for pleasure but to make money. Yet by pursuing these material good was I pursuing the best life for me? Was I pursuing my personal definition of the “good life” or the definition of the “good life” inspired by people like Kanye West, who might even hate their “good life?” People who have found their higher level pleasures but are beginning to think it isn’t worth the trade off. Failure to question and change said trade off will only result in this person fall victim to the tyranny of custom just as Kanye West did: a man who wrote a song titled “The Good Life.” Though the idea of the “good life” is subjective there are many factors to take into account but ultimately you must decide for yourself whether the life you’re living is your definition of the “good life.” Kanye West is a singer/ songwriter and is famous for being obnoxious, he produces amazing music but is also known to give rants on live television about topics that vaguely make sense. He considers himself a god and lives the stereotypical celebrity lifestyle: drugs, alcohol, and women. That was his goal, that was his “good life.” Kanye even went as far as to write a song titled “The Good Life” in which he sings in the chorus...
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...a life of pleasure. Living a life of pleasure refers to the actions, and thoughts, one must take in order for that fulfillment to be reached. The attainment of pleasure depends on the individual’s perception of what it means to feel pleasured. For example, one individual may be pleasured by the action of collecting comic books, while another individual may be pleasured by tearing apart comic books. In this case, it is to do whatever one must feel comfortable doing in order to reach the final end. The ultimate end is pleasure. The best form of pleasure to be practiced is to be peaceful, and negotiable to whatever the action the individual may take on. This practice is beneficial to move further away from negative forms of pain, and instead enhance all sectors of life to the best form it can be. Nature has placed species all around the universe under two sectors of governance – Pain and Pleasure. Pain inflicts negative unpleasant experiences and feelings of guilt, remorse, aches, and discomfort. Pleasure inflicts delight, satisfaction, enjoyment, and elation. Virtue allows us to be free from forms of pain, and disturbing events. Practising the pleasure sector governs our perception of life in the most positive format. We are able to distinguish our morals by what gives us the most pleasure in what we do. We believe in the motivation of providing pleasurable lifestyles in order to produce successful outcomes. Although not every action one performs may produce pleasure right away...
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...Biography of Jeremy Bentham: Before I begin to give you an autobiography of Jeremy Bentham, I would like give you this little supplement of the subject Right or Wrong i.e... Principle of Utility. Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two supreme masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do. On the one hand we have right and wrong, on the other we have the chain of causes and effects. They govern us in all we do, in all we say, in all we think: every effort we can make to throw off our weakness. In words, a man may pretend to reject their domain: but in reality he will remain subject to it all the while. The principle of utility recognizes this subjection, and assumes it for the foundation of that system, the object of which is to take care of the basics of reason and of law. The principle of utility is the basis of the present work: it will be good therefore at the beginning to give a clear and determinate account of what is meant by it. By the principle of utility is meant that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever. According to the tendency it appears to have to enhance or diminish the happiness of the person(s) whose interest is in question (http://www.blupete.com). Jeremy Bentham was born in Queens Square Place, London, on 15th February 1748, son and grandson of attorneys in the City of London, the eldest of six children, highly intelligent, scholarly...
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...to Hedonism. If one experience more happiness during life, his life will be better. The more happiness you experience, the better your life is. There are actually two schools of thought here, Narrow Hedonism and Preference Hedonism, each with its own definition of happiness. Narrow Hedonism deems happiness a homogeneous state of pleasure, while Preference Hedonism expands the definition to include any state of mind favored by the individual, including pain (yes, pain is happiness, for some). However, the two schools are united in their focus on mental states, which as you will see is a silly idea. Hedonism is a way of life, characterised by openness to pleasurable experience. There are many qualms about hedonism. It is rejected on moral grounds and said to be detrimental to long-term happiness. Several mechanisms for this 'paradox of hedonism' have been suggested and telling examples of pleasure seekers ending up in despair have been given. The relation between hedonism and happiness has been studied at two levels: that of the nation and the individual. At the national level average happiness is correlated with moral acceptance of pleasure and with active leisure. At the individual level it is similarly linked with hedonistic attitudes and also correlated with hedonistic behaviours such as frequent sex and use of stimulants. In this essay, it will firstly discuss what is hedonism, including the two catories Narrow hedonism and Preference hedonism. Following this, it will...
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...In both Immanuel Kant’s Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals and John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism, the authors give several strong, well structured arguments on the composition of ethics. Largely, their works help to draw focus to two different explanations of what makes an action morally just as opposed to morally unjust through essentially opposite viewpoints. Despite a key difference between their philosophies, Kant and Mill contribute to an overall picture of the historical ethical argument. Chronologically, the first major philosopher, Immanuel Kant, presents an argument that is based upon solely “a priori” knowledge, or rather knowledge that does not come from experience. Kant explains that because we are all rational beings, we are able to separate ourselves from our current human condition and use our own ability to reason to see a broad picture of what is morally acceptable to others. Similarly, Kant finds that the only thing which is good without limitation is a good will; that is, it is the intention of an action that determines the moral validity of any claim, not the effects both foreseen and actual. Kant connects this idea of morality to the claim that humans should act out of duty instead of just what is according to duty. The difference between these two ideas, Kant argues, is that “according to duty” is acting in the right way only because of the negative consequences associated with not performing a morally correct action whereas “from duty” refers to the...
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...unattainable. Three philosophers Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, and Immanuel Kant all agreed to Aristotle’s belief that virtue is necessary to attain happiness. It is the role of virtue in attaining happiness and what constitutes virtue or morality that is the issue that is disputed. Jeremy Bentham believed in the pleasure and pain principle which was that happiness was identified with pleasure and with an absence of pain. He believe all people should seek happiness and pleasure. Bentham identified 7 principles of pleasure 1. Its intensity2. Its duration.3. Its certainty or uncertainty.4. Its propinquity or remoteness.5. Its fecundity.6. Its purity.And one other; to wit:7. Its extent; To Bentham the extent meant to how many people this pleasure would reach. He was one of the fathers of Utilitarianism whose doctrine was “the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people. This outlook was what constituted virtue for Bentham. If you did something that made a great number of people happy he considered this virtuous and in turn makes you happy. Also in turn if it made a few people happy and gave many more pain this would be considered not virtuous. However he did believe that no motive is intrinsically bad nor good. The motive is always to attain pleasure it is not until the action resulting from the motive that causes pain in others than in that case would be evil. John Stuart Mill was influenced by Bentham greatly and holds many of the...
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...right or wrong by their very nature. Absolutism – the idea that things are right or wrong, and remain so in all situations. This approach is clear-cut as it leads a list of what is right and wrong, however it is inflexible; it doesn’t consider the situation, and who decides what is right and wrong? Subjective morality – when moral judgements are based on individual opinions. Respects individual opinions and people can take responsibility for their own actions, however do all individuals opinions deserve respect? This may lead to disagreements. Objective morality – when moral judgements are based on external values/systems/rules. This approach gives authorities the ability to give guidance and advice, however there is disagreement about which authorities to trust. Utilitarianism (Teleological/Relativist): Is an ethical theory, which aims to help us work out what is right, and what is wrong. It focuses on bringing the greatest amount of happiness to the greatest number of people. Bentham: Hedonic Calculus – his method that measures the amount of happiness/pleasure an action will bring. He says if this is applies, it’ll lead to the right action. 7 PARTS TO THE CALCULUS: Intensity of pleasure, certainty of pleasure, duration of pleasure, continuity of pleasure, how near or far the pleasure is, if...
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...happiness, the hierarchy of pleasures, and the impartial spectator. The foundation of Utilitarianism lays in Mill’s definition of happiness and the Greatest Happiness Principle. Mill defines happiness as the promotion of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. After defining happiness, Mill provides what he calls the “creed” of the foundation of Utilitarianism, the Greatest Happiness Principle. The Greatest Happiness Principle holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. The Greatest Happiness Principle uses an utilitarian standard; for that standard is not the agent’s own greatest happiness, but the greatest amount of happiness altogether; and if it may possibly be doubted whether a noble character is always the happier for its nobleness, there can be no doubt that it makes other people happier, and that the world in general is immensely a gainer by it (Mill 516). Mill states that humans are able to experience a higher level of pleasure than animals in the statement: “To suppose that life has (as they express it) no higher end than pleasure—no better and nobler object of desire and pursuit—they designate as utterly mean and groveling, as a doctrine worthy only of swine” (Mill 519). When Mill separates the pleasures between human and animal, he creates a hierarchy of pleasure, with human pleasure at the top. The reason that human pleasure is more valuable than animal pleasure is that humans can...
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...Nutshell By Matt Deaton, M.A. MattDeaton.net Ethics is the systematic reason-guided study of what we morally ought to do. It’s one of the four main sub-disciplines of philosophy, the other three being logic, metaphysics and epistemology. While most people defer to religion or society or their gut when deciding moral dilemmas, ethicists think through them for themselves. Whether or not we fully adopt their approach, we can all learn a thing or two from ethicists about asking the right questions, paying attention to the right factors, and holding a consistent set of moral beliefs. Oughts Based On Reason The difference between ethics and other ways of deciding what one ought to do is that ethics entails the rigorous use of reason. What we ought to do is one of those slippery questions to which conclusive answers are hard to pin down. All the traditional authorities have their flaws. Because religions ultimately appeal to faith, not evidence, and different religions proscribe different moral mandates, the objective thinker has no principled way to decide which to follow. Citing the Koran won’t convince a Christian, citing the Bible won’t convince a Muslim, and citing either won’t convince an atheist. Therefore, since ethicists want to appeal to reasons anyone can accept—regardless of their religious position—they can’t defer to holy books. Also, because societies disagree what morality entails, each just as confident in their conflicting judgment as the next, ethicists...
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...id is the part of our brain and consciousness that acts on impulse, and is responsible for some of the more rash and animalistic decisions that we make. The superego is the part of our subconscious that has been shaped by society to fit humanities morals that have evolved over the years in order to be best suited to our ultimate survival. The ego is the part of our brain that has developed in order to mediate decisions between our animalistic id and our superego that ensures we make the right decisions based on ‘morality’. Freud believed that a lot of our personal ideas of morality and subconscious believes stems from childhood trauma, which can be discovered and cured through therapy. Most of what we know about Freud’s views on moral awareness comes from his two books Beyond the pleasure principle, and The ego and the id, written in 1920 and 1923 respectively. The id is the most primitive and old part of our brain, that is responsible for the animalistic and impulsive nature that humans sometimes display. In a situation where one has to make a sub conscious split second decision, the id is the area of the brain that is responsible for this, and it is this that keeps us alive. When we are born only the id is present, and the superego and ego develop later in life as we are exposed to the pressures of society. The id contains personality that is inherited from our parents, and may make us particularly prone to anger or addiction. People that have a dominant id, and are not as...
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...“The Person in the Image of Self”). Alfie’s relationship with the married woman, Ruby embodies a relationship that is a social contract, because both individuals give mutual consent to mutually take advantage of one another, therefore in their relationship they “never mentions love, as she knows what she wants and she’s gonna get it” (Alfie). Alfie and Ruby are objectifying each other, because they both believe they have the right over one’s body to do whatever, because of their mutual consent to take mutual advantage. Therefore, they are acting accordingly in a way, in which they use the others’ body merely as an object for their own rational self-interest. This contrasts to the Catholic Intellectual tradition, as the human body is constitutive of personhood, therefore it shares in the dignity of being created in the image of God. The human body can never be used as a mere instrument or object and therefore cannot be used as a means to an end, such as in the manner Alfie and Ruby use one another’s bodies for their personal happiness and self-interest (Harding, “Interior Dimension of the Human Person”). Alfie and Ruby relationship coincides with Ayn Rand’s philosophy of rational self-interest “with his own happiness as the moral purposed of his life.” Therefore, both Ruby and Alfie are only concerned for the pleasure and self-seeking advantage for themselves, even if it means neglecting at the expense of others (Harding, “Different Views on Moral Truth and Freedom”). For example...
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