Question 1

How do we know general happiness is desirable, according to Mill?

Accepted Answer

Mill argues that happiness is desirable as an end because each person desires their own happiness, indicating that what each person desires for themselves is an indication of what is desirable.

Question 2

Mill notes that for those who disinterestedly love virtue, virtue is desired . . .

Accepted Answer

Mill argues that for those who genuinely love virtue for its own sake, virtue becomes an integral part of their concept of happiness, rather than merely a means to achieve it or an alternative to it.

Question 3

According to Mill, happiness is . . .

Accepted Answer

According to Mill, happiness is the only thing that humans truly desire for its own sake, making it the ultimate end or goal of human action.

Question 4

For Mill, we _______ desire something if we think it is pleasant.

Accepted Answer

For Mill, the principle of utility or the "Greatest Happiness Principle" suggests that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. Thus, according to Mill, we only desire something if we think it is pleasant, as our actions are motivated by the desire to attain pleasure or avoid pain.

Question 5

What paradox arises when we start thinking about morality, according to Mill?

Accepted Answer

Mill points out a paradox where people often find the specific moral rules (such as not to lie, steal, etc.) more compelling and easier to accept than the underlying principle that is supposed to justify them, such as the principle of utility or the greatest happiness principle. This can create a tension between our intuitive acceptance of specific moral rules and our understanding or acceptance of the broader moral principles that are supposed to underpin them.

Question 6

Protagoras defended Utilitarianism against Socrates.

Accepted Answer

Protagoras is best known for his claim that "man is the measure of all things" and his work in sophistry, rather than defending Utilitarianism, which is more closely associated with later philosophers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. Socrates, on the other hand, engaged in dialogues exploring ethical concepts, but his debates with Protagoras were not about Utilitarianism.

Question 7

Mill holds Utilitarianism has been rejected largely because it is not well understood.

Accepted Answer

John Stuart Mill argued that many criticisms of Utilitarianism arise from misunderstandings of the theory. He believed that if Utilitarianism were better understood, it would not be so readily dismissed by its critics.

Question 8

Utilitarianism is a standard for morality.

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that suggests that the best action is the one that maximizes utility, usually defined as that which produces the greatest well-being of the greatest number of people.

Question 9

Utilitarianism concerns an agent's own happiness only.

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that posits the best action is the one that maximizes utility, typically defined as that which produces the greatest well-being of the greatest number of people, and in some cases, sentient beings. It is not focused solely on an agent's own happiness but on the happiness and well-being of all affected individuals.

Question 10

For Mill, questions concerning ultimate ends can be proved by reasoning.

Accepted Answer

Mill argues that questions about ultimate ends are not amenable to direct proof in the way that empirical or logical propositions are. Instead, he suggests that the ultimate end, which he identifies as happiness or utility, can be supported by appealing to human experience and consensus about what is desirable.

Question 11

What is the common criticism of Utilitarianism that Carritt rejects?

Accepted Answer

Carritt rejects the criticism that pleasures and pains cannot be compared, arguing that they can be compared in terms of intensity and duration.

Question 12

For Carritt, that desires, pleasures, or pains cannot be precisely measured . . .

Accepted Answer

Just because desires, pleasures, or pains cannot be precisely measured doesn't mean they can't be compared. People often compare their experiences based on intensity, duration, or other qualitative factors, even if precise measurement is not possible.

Question 13

What is meant by the term "hedonistic calculus"?

Accepted Answer

Hedonistic calculus is a method proposed by Jeremy Bentham for measuring the amount of pleasure or pain that a particular action would produce, to guide decision-making.

Question 14

According to Carritt, Utilitarianism . . .

Accepted Answer

Carritt argues that Utilitarianism can still be valid even if it lacks a precise hedonic calculus, as the theory's core principle is maximizing happiness, which can be pursued without exact calculations.

Question 15

Which of the following isn't a criticism that Carritt lays against Utilitarianism?

Accepted Answer

Carritt criticizes Utilitarianism for several reasons, including its inability to account for promises, its disregard for justice, and its neglect of the importance of rights. Therefore, none of the options listed are criticisms that Carritt does not lay against Utilitarianism.

Question 16

According to some Utilitarians . . .

Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that evaluates the rightness or wrongness of actions based on their outcomes, specifically the overall happiness or pleasure they produce. Therefore, according to some Utilitarians, the value of things is indeed a matter of those things' pleasantness, aligning with the principle of utility or the greatest happiness principle.

Question 17

What common phenomenon do Utilitarians have trouble justifying, according to Carritt?

Accepted Answer

Carritt argues that Utilitarians struggle to justify promise-keeping because their moral framework is based on the principle of utility, which focuses on the outcomes of actions rather than the intrinsic value of practices like promise-keeping.

Question 18

Which of the following best describes how Utilitarians tend to account for promises?

Accepted Answer

Utilitarians focus on the consequences of actions, and keeping promises is seen as beneficial because it upholds a practice that generates overall happiness by preserving trust in society.

Question 19

Why is Carritt unconvinced by way Utilitarians commonly account for promises?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why is Carritt unconvinced by way Utilitarians...

Question 20

Carritt argues that Utilitarianism has forgotten to account for . . .

Accepted Answer

Carritt argues that Utilitarianism has forgotten to account for rights, as it primarily focuses on the greatest happiness principle and often overlooks individual rights.

Quiz 5: Ethics and Society