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Jeremey Bentham (1748-1832) - Coggle Diagram
Jeremey Bentham (1748-1832)
What drives humans?
Bentham stated that human beings were motivated by pleasure and pain. This is called Hedonism (Greek for pleasure)
He believed that all humans pursued pleasure and tried to avoid pain.
This he stated was moral fact.
Pleasure = what humans should do. Pain = What humans should not do.
'Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign 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.'
He believed that pain and pleasure not only explain our action but also help us define what is good and moral. This foundation could prove a basis for social, legal, or moral reform in society.
Principle of Utility
Bentham wanted to develop a theory which established whether something was good or bad, according to the benefits provided for the majority of people.
Utility = the usefulness of the results of an action
'An action is right if it produces the greatest good of the greatest number.'
Hedonic Calculus
Hedonic Calculus weighs up the pleasure and pain generated by the available moral actions, to find the best option:
Intensity
- how powerful it is?
The less intense the pleasure of an action the less valuable the action is. However, is the action leads to intense pleasure then its value goes way up.
Certainty
- how likely is it to result in pleasure?
The certainty criteria refer to the probability of the pleasure resulting from the act. So basically how likely a certain action will cause certain action? If you choose between an action which might cause pleasure and one that will definitely cause the desired pleasure then you go with that action.
Fecundity
- to what extent will it lead to other pleasures?
The fecundity of an act is the likelihood that the pleasure or pain that it causes will be followed by similar pleasure or pain. If the happiness that an act causes is likely to be followed by more happiness then the act is better than a similar act that will cause only one instance of happiness. It is basically how many times the pain or pleasure will occur.
Extent
- how many people does it effect?
The more people enjoy the pleasure, the better.
Propinquity
- how near is it?
The more distant the benefits, in either space or time, the less weight we should give them in making out decision.
Duration
- how long will it last?
The duration of the pleasure caused by an act must also be taken into account when assessing the goodness of the act. Short bursts of pleasure or short lasting pleasure is viewed as less valuable then lasting pleasure. So acts which last for long periods of time are preferred to those which are short lasting.
Purity
- how free from pain is it?
An act that causes only pleasure is better than one that causes the same amount of pleasure mixed with a little pain. When either pleasure or pain is at its extremes it is more pure however when mixed its purity is less.
General facts
Was one of the founders of untilitrianism
He believed that happiness was the supreme ethical value pr what he called
'sovereign good'
The most moral acts are those which maximize pleasure and minimize pain. This is called the
'utilitarian calculus.'
An act would be moral if it brings the greatest amount of pleasure and the least amount of pain.