Preference
Utilitarianism
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, we will have...
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Consolidated our knowledge of Act
and Rule Utilitarianism by comparing
(in detail) Act and Rule Utilitarianism.
Discussed Preference Utilitarianism.
Applied Preference Utilitarianism to
ethical dilemmas.
Key Words
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Utilitarianism- ethical theory by which actions
are judged according to their anticipated results.
Act utilitarianism- utilitarian theory applied to
the results of individual actions.
Rule utilitarianism- utilitarian theory that
takes into account the results of obeying
general rules of conduct.
Preference utilitarianism- utilitarian theory
that takes into account the preferences of all
those involved in a particular course of action.
Consequentialism
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Consequentialism is the theory that the moral
status of an act is determined by its
consequences.
Consequentialism thus rejects both the virtue
ethicist’s view that the moral status of an act
is determined by the moral character of the
agent performing it, and the deontologist’s
view that the moral status of an act is
determined by the type of act that it is.
According to consequentialism, each of these
factors is morally irrelevant. All that matters is
what consequences an act leads to.
Act vs. Rule
Task: 10 minutes
Use class notes and text book
to complete the Act vs. Rule
table.
 Complete it in detail.
 It will be a useful revision aid.
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Preference Utilitarianism
It is associated with R.M Hare, Peter Singer and Richard Brandt.
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Definition: moral actions are right or wrong according to how they fit the
preferences of those involved.
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An Act utilitarian judges right or wrong according to the maximising of
pleasure and minimising of pain.
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A Rule utilitarian judges right or wrong according to the keeping of rules
derived from utility.
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BUT, a preference utilitarian judges moral actions according to whether
they fit in which the preferences of the individuals involved.
This approach asks:
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‘What is in my own interest?’
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‘What would I prefer in this situation?’
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‘Which outcome would I prefer?’
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However, because Utilitarianism is concerned with the greatest good for the
greatest number, it is necessary to consider the preferences of others in
order to achieve this.
R.M. Hare
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He argues that in moral decision making we need to
consider our own preferences and those of others.
He says that “equal preferences count equally, whatever
their content”.
People are happy when they get what they prefer, but
what we prefer may clash with the preferences of others.
He says we need to “stand in someone else’s shoes”,
and try to imagine what someone else may prefer.
We should treat everyone, including ourselves, with
impartiality- he also argues for universalisability (what
is right or wrong for one person in a situation is right or
wrong for all).
Preference Utilitarianism
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In preference utilitarianism, the assessment of a
situation takes into account the preferences of
the individuals involved, except where those
preferences come into direct conflict with the
preferences of others.
So, the right thing to do in any situation is to
maximise the satisfaction of the
preferences of all those involved.
This gets around the problem of using
utilitarianism to impose one idea of happiness
on someone who might have a very different
one.
Preference Utilitarianism
All forms of utilitarianism hold that we ought to maximise the good
and minimise the bad. Where the different forms of utilitarianism
differ is in what they take to be the good and the bad.
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Preference utilitarianism holds that the good is preference
satisfaction, i.e. getting what we want, and that the bad is the
opposite, i.e. not getting what we want. People may be mistaken
about what will make them happy.
For Example…
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It may be that you think that going to the pub and downing six pints
of lager will make you happy, but that you would actually be happier
staying at home and reading Dostoyevsky.
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In such a case, the hedonistic utilitarian would say that it is better if
you stay at home and read Dostoyevsky; that, after all, is what will
make you happiest.
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The preference utilitarian, though, would say that it is better if you go
to the pub; that is what you want to do, and what matters is that you
get what you want.
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Peter Singer
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He says “our own preferences cannot count any more than the
preferences of others’ and so, in acting morally, we should take
account of all the people affected by our actions.
These have to be weighed and balanced and then we must choose
the action which gives the best possible consequences for those
affected.
However, preference utilitarians interpret the best consequences in
terms of 'preference satisfaction'. This means that 'good' is
described as the satisfaction of each person's individual preferences
or desires, and a right action is that which leads to this satisfaction.
Since what is good depends solely on individual preferences, there
can be nothing that is in itself good or bad except for the resulting
state of mind. Preference utilitarianism therefore can be
distinguished by its acknowledgement that every person's
experience of satisfaction will be unique.
Singer
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For Singer, the ‘best possible consequences’ means
what is the ‘best interests of the individuals concernedthis is different from Bentham and Mill, as he is not
considering what increases pleasure and diminishes
pain.
The principle of equal consideration acts like a pair of
scales- everyone’s preferences are weighed equally.
So, killing a person who prefers to go on living would be
wrong and not killing a person who prefers to die would
also be wrong.
Racism is also wrong, as it goes against the principle of
acknowledging other person’s interests or preferences
and gives greater value to the preferences of one’s own
race.
Utilitarianism in
practice
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Imagine a doctor is called the scene of an
accident and is required to set a broken bone
and perform other emergency procedures.
His action is almost certain to cause additional
pain to the one injured.
Is that pain good or bad?
Well, since short term pain is outweighed by the
long-term good of having limbs that grow
straight.
If you cause pain in the process of saving a life,
utilitarianism argues that action can be judged
good.
Terminology Test
Explain the following key
ideas without
looking at your books and
notes: 1.
Consequentialist?
2.
Teleological ethics?
3.
Act Utilitarian?
4.
Rule Utilitarian?
5.
Preference Utilitarian?
6.
Universalisability?
7.
Principle of Utility?
8.
Hedonism?
Terms- Discuss
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Consequentialist- someone who decides whether an action is
good or bad by its consequences.
Teleological ethics- moral actions are right or wrong according
to their outcome or teleos (end).
Act Utilitarian- a teleological theory that uses the outcome of an
action to determine whether it is good or bad.
Rule Utilitarian- establishing a general rule that follows utilitarian
principles.
Preference Utilitarian- moral actions are right or wrong
according to how they fit the preferences of those involved.
Universalisability- what is right or wrong for one person in a
situation is right or wrong for all.
Principle of Utility- the theory of usefulness- the greatest
happiness for the greatest number.
Hedonism- view that pleasure is the chief good.
Abortion, euthanasia, Infanticide
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Consistent with his general ethical theory, Singer holds that
the right to life is grounded in a being's personhood; that is, in
the sense of a being's rationality and self-consciousness. In
his view, the central argument against abortion is equivalent
to the following logical syllogism:
It is wrong to kill an innocent human being.
A human foetus is an innocent human being.
Therefore it is wrong to kill a human foetus.
His argument against this is to say that, while a foetus is
admittedly a member of the human species, it is not a person,
which is defined as a self conscious being that sees itself over
time. Species membership is morally irrelevant, but
personhood is relevant.
Singer classifies euthanasia as voluntary, involuntary, or nonvoluntary. Voluntary euthanasia is that with the consent of the
subject.
Practical Application
TASK (10 mins)
What is the utilitarian stance on: Euthanasia
 Fertility Treatment
 Embryo Research
 Abortion
 Genetic Engineering
Utilitarian Ethics
Euthanasia
Would allow it, under strictly controlled
conditions. May not be greatest good for
greatest number if the innocent in society are
threatended.Could save money, which could be
used to benefit others.Often leave the weak
minority vulnerable to abuse.
Fertility Treatment
Would allow most forms of fertility treatment. Does
not see human life as sacred, so spare embryos
are not a problem. In favour of regulation to prevent
abuse.
Embryo Research
In favour of research if the majority will
benefit. Embryo is regarded as a commodityhas not religious significance.
Abortion
Is acceptable. Benefit seen in terms of avoiding
dangers of back street abortions. Unwanted children
should not be born. Only the already born are taken
into consideration.
Genetic Engineering
In favour or research, as majority could
benefit.
Next Lesson
Practice
Test
Revise your notes and you will be fine.