Chapter II - Utilitarianism: Foundations of Moral Valuation

Ethics
Foundations of Moral Valuation
Chapter II - Utilitarianism
Table of Contents
Chapter II: Utilitarianism

 The Principle of Utility
 Principle of the Greatest Number
 Justice and Moral Rights
Learning Outcomes:
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

 Discuss the basic principles of utilitarian ethics;
 Distinguish between two utilitarian models: the
quantitative model of Jeremy Bentham and the
qualitative model of John Stuart Mill; and
 Apply utilitarianism in understanding and evaluating
local and international scenarios.
Introduction
On January 25, 2015, the 84th Special Action Force (SAF)

conducted a police operation at Tukanalipao, Mamasapano
in Maguindanao. Also known as Oplan Exodus, it was
intended to serve an arrest warrant for Zulkifi bin Hir or
Marwan, a Malaysian terrorist and bomb-maker who had a
$5 million bounty on his head.
Although the police operation was “successful”
because of the death of Marwan, the firefight that ensued
claimed 67 lives – 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers,
18 Moro Islamic Liberation Front fighters, and 5 civilians.
Introduction…
In one of the Congress investigations that followed this

tragic mission, then Senate President Franklin Drilon and
Senator Francis Escudero debated the public hearing of an
audio recording of an alleged conversation that attempted
to cover up the massacre of the PNP-SAF commandos.
Drilon questioned the admissibility of these recordings as
evidence under the Anti-Wire Tapping Law whereas
Escudero cited the legal brief of the Free Legal Assistance
Group (FLAG) arguing that the Anti-Wire Tapping Law
protects only the recording and interception of private
communications.
Introduction…
Senator Grace Poe, previous chairperson of the Senate

committee on public order and dangerous drugs, argued
otherwise.
Introduction…
Senator Poe’s response leads us to ask: Can the

government infringe individual rights? If it is morally
permissible for the government to infringe individual
rights, when can the government do so? Does it become
legitimate to sacrifice individual rights when considering
the greatest benefit for the greatest number of people?
THE PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY
 For Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832), the principle of
utility is about our subjection to these sovereign
masters: pleasure and pain. On one hand, the principle
refers to the motivation of our actions as guided by our
avoidance of pain and our desire for pleasure. On the
other hand, the principle also refers to pleasure as good
if, and only if, our actions produce more happiness than
unhappiness.
 John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) supports Betham’s
principle of utility. He reiterates moral good as
happiness and, consequently, happiness as pleasure.
Mill clarifies that what makes people happy is the
intended pleasure and what makes them unhappy is the
deprivation of pleasure. The things that produce
happiness and pleasure are good; whereas, those that
produce unhappiness and pain are bad.
 For Bentham and Mill, the pursuit for pleasure and the
avoidance of pain are not only important principles—
they are in fact the only principle in assessing an
action’s morality. Why is it justifiable to wiretap
private conversations in instances of treason, rebellion,
espionage, and sedition? Why is it preferable to
alleviate poverty or eliminate criminality?
 In determining the moral preferability of actions,
Bentham provides a framework for evaluating pleasure
and pain commonly called felicific calculus, it
calculates the pleasure that some actions can produce.
 Contrary to Bentham, Mill argues that quality is more
preferable than quantity. An excessive quantity of what
is otherwise pleasurable might result in pain. Whereas
eating the right amount of food can be pleasurable,
excessive eating may not be.
THE PRINCIPLE OF THE GREATEST
NUMBER
 Utilitarianism is not only about our individual pleasures,
regardless of how high, intellectual, or in other ways
noble it is, but it is also about the pleasure of the
greatest number affected by the consequences of our
actions.
NUMBER
 Utilitarianism is not dismissive of sacrifices that procure

more happiness for others.
NUMBER
 Utilitarianism is not only about our individual pleasures,
regardless of how high, intellectual, or in other ways
noble it is, but it is also about the pleasure of the
greatest number affected by the consequences of our
actions.
NUMBER
 Also, it implies that utilitarianism is not at all separate

from liberal social practices that aim to improve the
quality of life for all persons.
JUSTICE AND MORAL RIGHTS
 Mill understands justice as a respect for rights directed

toward society’s pursuit of the greatest happiness for
the greatest number. For him, rights are a valid claim
on society and are justified by utility.
 Utilitarians argue that issues of justice carry a very

strong emotional feeling because the category of rights
is directly associated with the individual’s most vital
interests. All of these rights are predicated on the
person’s right to life.
 Mill creates a distinction between legal rights and their

justification. He points out that when legal rights are
not morally justified in accordance with the greatest
happiness principle, then these rights need neither be
observed, nor be respected. This is like saying that
there are instances when the law is not morally
justified and, in this case, even objectionable.
 While it can be justified why others violate legal rights,

it is an act of injustice to violate an individual’s moral
rights. Going back to the case of wiretapping, it seems
that one’s right to privacy can be sacrificed for the
sake of the common good. This means that moral rights
are only justifiable by considerations of greater overall
happiness.
DISCUSSION POINTS
1. Mill revises utilitarianism by arguing for “higher”

pleasures. Which pleasures are higher?
2. Do you agree that happiness is the pursuit of pleasure
and the avoidance of pain, and that all actions are
directed toward pleasure?
PROCESSING QUESTIONS
1. Does utilitarianism question individual rights? What if

violating the civil rights of a minority increases the
totality of pleasure of the majority?
2. Is it justifiable to build a basketball court because
there are basketball fans, rather than to build a
hospital because there are fewer sick people?
LESSON SUMMARY
 Bentham and Mill see moral good as pleasure, not

merely self-gratification, but also the greatest
happiness principle or the greatest happiness for the
greatest number.
LESSON SUMMARY
 In determining the greatest happiness for the greatest

number of people, there is no distinction between the
ideas of Bentham and Mill.
LESSON SUMMARY
 Mill provides an adequate discourse on rights despite it

being mistakenly argued to be the weakness of
utilitarianism.
 However, he also claims that in extreme circumstances,
respect for individual rights can be overridden to
promote the better welfare especially in circumstances
of conflict valuation.
Thank you!
Stay Safe!
God Bless us all!

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Ethics

Foundations of Moral Valuation

Chapter II: Utilitarianism

After reading this chapter, you should be able to:

On January 25, 2015, the 84th Special Action Force (SAF)

In one of the Congress investigations that followed this

Senator Grace Poe, previous chairperson of the Senate

Senator Poe’s response leads us to ask: Can the

 Utilitarianism is not dismissive of sacrifices that procure

 Also, it implies that utilitarianism is not at all separate

 Mill understands justice as a respect for rights directed

 Utilitarians argue that issues of justice carry a very

 Mill creates a distinction between legal rights and their

 While it can be justified why others violate legal rights,

1. Mill revises utilitarianism by arguing for “higher”

1. Does utilitarianism question individual rights? What if

 Bentham and Mill see moral good as pleasure, not

 In determining the greatest happiness for the greatest

 Mill provides an adequate discourse on rights despite it

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