Jeremy Benthem and John Stewert Mill

Greatest Happiness

Maximize pleasure and minimize pain

Maxmize utility in the long run

Can differentiate higher and lower pleasures

Rule Utilitarianism

Act Utilitarianism

Sum > 0 action is good

Sum < 0 action is bad

intensity, duration, certainty, extent

all consequences must be measured on single scale

ignores problem of unjust distribution of good consequences

Good effect-result is positive benefit for the recipent and bad effect- result is negative cost for recipent

nature of act is neutral, intent of actor is for good effect, good effect does not proceed through bad effect, good effect must be desirable enough to compensate for bad effect

The groundwork for the metaphysis of morals

Freedom, duty, and human dignity over maximizing hapiness

Freedom: doing whatever we want

Justice: giving many people pleasure does not make it right

 Good will

conditional

if you do x you will acheive y

principles that are unconditionally valid

duty or right

Fulfil duty without exception

Ex; tell truth

Obliged to fulfil in general but not every case

ex; helping people

sometimes no rule characterizes an action

sometimes no way to resolve a conflict between rules

Hobbes and Rousseau

Establish moral rules to govern relations

Each person may claim a “fully adequate” 

number of basic rights and liberties, so long as 

these claims are consistent with everyone else 

having a claim to the same rights and liberties