Utilitarianism Arguments

Utilitarianism is an attractive philosophy which claims to replace arbitrary-seeming rules by a morality with a single coherent basis. As the most common form of consequentialism, based on the pursuit of the greatest happiness of the greatest number, it argues that acts should be judged as right or wrong according to their consequences. Because happiness is the only thing that is good in itself, and unhappiness is the only thing that is inherently bad, everything else is only good or bad according to its tendency to produce happiness or unhappiness. In a democratic system, utilitarianism is also attractive as a means of decision-making in which the majority must choose wisely.

There is a practical objection to utilitarianism: the system is unworkable because we can predict only some of the consequences of our actions. In addition, we have no way of measuring happiness. As Glover points out, "the weighing of consequences seems more often a matter of vague intuition than of scientific calculation" (2). Other objections to utilitarianism will be weighed against arguments in favor of its utilization. Several practical implications will demonstrate its utility and/or its pitfalls.

The classical doctrine of utilitarianism, developed by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and modified by John Stuart Mill (1806-1973), is one version of objective relativism. The phrase "objective relativism" appears contradictory, but utilitarianism purports only to be objective in that it measures ch

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n Mill's argument is the assumption that pursuit of virtue leads to overall happiness. Glover reprints G. E. Moore's essay, "Criticism of Mill's Proof." In his essay, Moore attacks Mill on several grounds, one being that "desirable" does not mean "able to be desired" as "visible" means "able to be seen." "The desirable means simply what ought to be desired or deserves to be desired, just as the detestable means, not what can be, but what ought to be, detested, and the damnable, what deserves to be damned" (21). Other objections to utilitarianism are outlined by Honer and Hunt in their Invitation to Philosophy: Issues and Options. The authors ask, "Aren't there moral rules or duties that must be observed?" (129). Surely the happiness principal is insufficient as the sole decider of good and bad. They present a hypothetical situation: Suppose a prosecuting attorney discovers incontrovertible evidence that the slum gang on trial did not commit the crime they are charged with, but reasons: "I'll suppress this evidence (which no one else can possibly find out about) because the gang did commit other crimes and will predictably act unlawfully in the future. Putting them in prison for two years will protect the community an

Category: Philosophy - U