One criticism of Bentham's quantitative model of the utility principle is that it could lead to results that seem deeply unjust. For example,
A)it could allow a sadistic dictator to get away with torturing his subjects, on the grounds that his pleasure is so great it outweighs their collective pain.
B)it oppresses strong, creative people with its slave morality.
C)it tells us that we always ought to act selfishly in all circumstances.
D)it requires us to put duty before pleasure.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Bentham's model only considers the total amount of pleasure and pain, without taking into account the distribution or allocation of them. Therefore, in the scenario described, if the sadistic dictator derives a massive amount of pleasure from torturing his subjects, it would be considered morally justifiable under his model, regardless of how much pain is inflicted upon the population. This is a clear example of how the quantitative approach can lead to results that seem deeply unjust.

One Criticism of Bentham's Quantitative Model of the Utility Principle