Exam 4: Utilitarianism

The following is an example of the reasoning of a rule utilitarian: "If the practice of lying is bad, then one ought not to lie now, even if in this case to lie would actually bring about better consequences."

According to utilitarianism which of the following is useful for evaluating the morality of an action?

According to Mill, the only way to prove that something is desirable in itself (as an end) is to notice that people do desire it.

Utilitarianism is an egoistic moral theory.

Utilitarianism is a moral theory that holds that we ought to promote utility and not pleasure.

Rule Utilitarianism asks that we consider the consequences of each act

How could cost-benefit analysis be used to determine whether or not to build the barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge?

According to the text, approximately how many people have leaped to their death from the Golden Gate Bridge?

Label as the better choice on utilitarian calculations , A or B, using a scale of -10 (very painful) to +10 (very pleasurable) for degrees of pleasure or happiness. A will bring 5 people each 8 days of pleasure and 3 people each 2 days of pain, B will bring 8 people each 3 days of pleasure and 1 person 3 days of pain.

Utilitarianism is a relativistic moral theory, for it recognizes that what is good in some circumstances is not always good in others.

Which of the following is not necessary to act morally according to utilitarianism?

The reason that Mill believes that pleasure is the only intrinsic good is because he believes that it is the only thing that everyone desires for its own sake.

According to utilitarianism, an act that makes some people happy and others unhappy can never be morally right.

According to Bentham, some pleasures may be more valuable than others but only in so far as they are of greater intensity or duration.

In his Utilitarianism Mill answers those who say that his theory is a crass pleasure theory fit only for beasts by noting that though it is a pleasure theory it acknowledges a wide variety of pleasures including those that only humans can experience.

Both Bentham and Mill hold that some pleasures are better in kind than others.

Of which kind of reasoning , Act (A) or Rule (R) Utilitarianism, are the following examples? We ought to observe copyright rules because if we did not then no one's intellectual property would be safe and this would be a very bad outcome.

Of which kind of reasoning , Act (A) or Rule (R) Utilitarianism, are the following examples? If everyone cut in that line, then there would be chaos and that would be bad, so I ought not cut in the line but go to the end.

MacKinnon used the story of the Golden Gate Bridge to illustrate which of the following?

Of which kind of reasoning , Act (A) or Rule (R) Utilitarianism, are the following examples? I ought to get more sleep because if I don't I will be no good to myself or others.