LO: I will know about the Hedonic Calculus

Hmk: Do some biographical work on John Stuart Mill

Starter: Using your homework, what did you find out about Jeremy Bentham?

Based on your reading from your homework, pick a term and use it to explain Utilitarianism

TeleologicalConsequentialist Utility Quantitative Hedonistic

Teleological – Moral actions are right or wrong according to their outcome or telos (end)

Consequentialist – Someone who decides whether an action is good or bad by its consequences

Hedonism – The view that pleasure is the chief ‘good’

‘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.’

Pleasure = GoodPain = Evil

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS4xchadXIE

Using the handout to find the answers to the following:

1.What is the Utilitarian calculus? 2.According to Bentham, what is the

supreme ethical value?3.Bentham came up with a way of

measuring the possible consequences of an action. What was this called? Make a note of the 7 elements.

Can pleasure and pain be measured in this way?

1. Why might the fact that we aren’t always able to predict the future be a problem for utilitarianism? Give an example

2. Suggest examples of pains that are good and pleasures that are bad. How do these cause difficulties for utilitarianism?

3. Are affection or honesty good in themselves or only because they have good results? Why?

4. How might a critic of utilitarianism argue that the theory doesn’t protect the interests of minority groups? Give an example.

THE RULES:

Anybody who wishes to speak must put up their hand. When a person is speaking, everyone else listens. Only one person speaks at a time. Everyone should try to speak at least once during the session. The person speaking chooses the next person to speak from

another side (who has their hand up). If there is more than one person who wishes to speak, you should pick the person who has said the least so far (NAME)

A new speaker first has to offer a critical comment and EVALUATE what the previous person has said e.g. I agree because…., I think that is wrong because…., I disagree about this aspect….

The speaker must then say something substantial to drive the discussion forwards (BUILD)

NAMEEVALUATE

BUILD

NAMEEVALUATE

BUILD

‘If it feels good for the majority, then it must always be right.’

‘If it feels good for the majority, then it must always be right.’

True...............................or is it false!

Write your own set of questions with answers based on the work done today. You will be selected to ask another pupil

in the group your question