PHL 201
2/11/03

Two kinds of Utilitarianism
1) Hedonism (theory of value)
2) Consequentialism (theory of action)

Hedonism
Two different types of pleasures:
High Pleasures Low Pleasures
(more intellectual/cultural) (more
physical/emotional)
Fine arts Drinking Beer
Chess Reading trashy love novels
The Opera Watching sports
The History Channel Bad food(pizza, hot
dogs,ect.)

-Some pleasures are better than others,
quantitatively better.

-Mills response to the change that
utilitarianism was a philosophy “fit for
swine”.

-“Fit for swine”- Crass headonism- people who
would never open a book, not interested in
culture, ect. People who are more crude and
unsophisticated.

Criticism- higher/lower pleasure

1) Cultural elitism or enthnocentrism( thinks
ones culture is superior to any other
culture).

2) Classist- looks down on lower classes
-working middle class people.

3) Smuggles in other values into
Utilitarianism besides pleasure.

Higher pleasure=
pleasure + knowledge
pleasure + art More worthwhile= More
pleasurable
pleasure + achievement

Mills believed there should be a balance
with high and low pleasures, low pleasures
are ok only sometimes.

Consequentialism
“Better to be Socrates dissatisfied then to be
a fool satisfied”.

Consequentialism (theory of action)- the
right act is that maximizes value, for the
whole world.

Utilitarianism=hedonism+consequentialism
The right act is that which maximizes
pleasure or happiness.

Utilitarianism- simple elegant PHL/ based on
strongest intuitions.




Arguments for and against Utilitarianism
Cons
1) Too demanding of people(too much
sacrifice)
goes against human nature.
2) Impractical-goes against human nature

Pros
simple/elegant
strong intuitive support
does not’t rely on transcendent value
Metaphysics, God objective-third person point
of view

People disagree on what provides happiness