Question 1

Why does Williams reject the utilitarian notion of negative responsibility?

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Question 2

What is Williams' main objection to consequentialism (his term for utilitarianism)? Examine the cases of George and Jim. What do you think is the right thing to do in these cases? What are Williams's answers? Do you agree with his reasoning?

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Question 3

What does Williams mean by integrity? What role does this notion play in his argument? Some have criticized Williams for unjustifiably exalting integrity too highly. They say, if my feelings of integrity conflict with making hard but rationally supported choices, we ought to overcome those feelings and do what is right.

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Question 4

Here is an illustration. I have given my whole life to support political party X, which had admirable goals and did much good. But the party has been irremediably morally corrupted and now is harming people. Still my sense of integrity is tied up in all the good the party once stood for. I reason that it would be a good thing to destroy the party, for the good of humanity, and I have the opportunity to do so. But my sense of integrity prevents me from easily doing this. I deeply identify with party X. Although this may be a hard decision, many ethicists would argue that we must overcome our squeamishness and do the right thing: destroy party X, so that its present evil will be ineffectual. How would Williams deal with this case? How would you?

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Question 5

Discuss how Ursula Le Guin's story applies to the debate over utilitarianism. Would you walk away from Omelas (Salem spelled backward plus O for Oregon)? Explain your answer.

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Question 6

Do we already live in a world like Omelas, only not a utopia? Is our happiness predicated on the suffering of poorer nations from whom we get cheap goods?

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Question 7

Concerning the case of Seaman Holmes, do you agree with the law that passengers' lives should be preferred to seamen's? Why or why not?

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Quiz 4: Utilitarianism

Why does Williams reject the utilitarian notion of negative responsibility?

What is Williams' main objection to consequentialism (his term for utilitarianism)? Examine the cases of George and Jim. What do you think is the right thing to do in these cases? What are Williams's answers? Do you agree with his reasoning?

Discuss how Ursula Le Guin's story applies to the debate over utilitarianism. Would you walk away from Omelas (Salem spelled backward plus O for Oregon)? Explain your answer.

Do we already live in a world like Omelas, only not a utopia? Is our happiness predicated on the suffering of poorer nations from whom we get cheap goods?

Concerning the case of Seaman Holmes, do you agree with the law that passengers' lives should be preferred to seamen's? Why or why not?