Utilitarianism

What Utilitarianism covers

Utilitarianism is examined in AS Unit 2, An Introduction to Religion and Ethics and the Philosophy of Religion — Section A. It covers Bentham's Act Utilitarianism and the hedonic calculus, Mill's higher pleasures, the harm principle and rules, utilitarianism applied to animal experimentation and nuclear deterrence and Evaluating Utilitarianism.

The 4 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• Bentham's Act Utilitarianism and the hedonic calculusPrinciple of utility, purpose of the hedonic calculus and seven factors of the hedonic calculus.Open →
• Mill's higher pleasures, the harm principle and rulesMill's test of competent judges, mill's harm principle and harm principle limiting what may be forbidden.Open →
• Utilitarianism applied to animal experimentation and nuclear deterrenceRecall questions on why animals count for Bentham, the hedonic calculus, act and rule approaches, weighting human interests, the paradox of deterrence, and the argument for disarmament.Open →
• Evaluating UtilitarianismRecall questions on pleasure as the sole intrinsic good, act against rule as a basis for decisions, charges of immorality and injustice, predicting consequences, and religious objections.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Utilitarianism further

The same content, four other ways.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What does Bentham mean by utility?

   Model answer

   Utility is the usefulness of an action, measured by its tendency to produce pleasure and to prevent pain.

2. 2

   On what claim about human nature does Bentham build his ethics?

   Model answer

   He claims that human beings are governed by pain and pleasure, which determine both what we do and what we ought to do.

3. 3

   State the principle of utility.

   Model answer

   The right action is the one that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number of those affected by it.

4. 4

   Why is Bentham's theory called Act Utilitarianism?

   Model answer

   Because the principle of utility is applied freshly to each individual act rather than to general rules of conduct.

5. 5

   What is the purpose of the hedonic calculus?

   Model answer

   It provides a method of measuring the pleasure and pain an action would produce so that the available options can be compared.

6. 6

   Name the seven factors of the hedonic calculus.

   Model answer

   They are intensity, duration, certainty, remoteness, fecundity, purity and extent.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Utilitarianism revision questions

What does Utilitarianism cover in WJEC A-Level Religious Studies?

4 subtopics: bentham's act utilitarianism and the hedonic calculus, mill's higher pleasures, the harm principle and rules, utilitarianism applied to animal experimentation and nuclear deterrence and evaluating utilitarianism. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Utilitarianism organised?

By the WJEC 603-0277-X specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.