We have smileys 🥳

Testing smileys! 😎

Happiness helps to refute the heroin objection: the idea that we would all experience more pleasure if we were all permanently high on drugs.

I gave a few examples where the distinction leads to different outcomes. Do you have a counter-example, John?

Hi,
Aristotle’s virtue ethics don’t really apply to social policy, which is what utilitarianism was mainly intended for. Aristotle tries to show you how to leave a beautiful and happy life, through actions you do and choices you make which affect you, your friends and family. It’s a fairly small circle (although, to be fair, he does dip into justice). I agree that it’s a shame we didn’t cover him!
Justine

Thanks, David! I feel like I didn’t understand Kant at all because none of his rules made sense to me (except where they maximise happiness as a side effect).

I’m curious about Aristotle’s virtue ethics. I wished we’d learned a bit more about that. Could be a winner!

Hello kevin. Great essay txs. I too feel planted in the utilitarian camp -it’s particularly helpful for those of us studying elementary economics However, last year I was seduced by Kants’ notion of doing the right thing for its own sake. Such a simple way to proceed. And if this adds the odd util, all the better!

Well done again.

David

I don’t know that much about Bentham but I read the JS Mill biography a couple of years ago. Impressive people, both.

Thank you for a lovely comment, Justine. I felt like the only utilitarian at times. Even all the tutors had something snarky to say about it!

I really recommend Moral Tribes as the best book I have read on utilitarianism. He approaches it from a psychological point of view with lots of fMRI of people thinking about trolley problems.

I’ll see if I can fix that problem with the emoji today ( I have the day off for Labor Day!)

“Bentham detected a serious and potentially debilitating defect in rendering the utility principle as the “greatest happiness of the greatest number”. He came to see that such a principle could justify inordinate sacrifices by a minority, however that minority might be composed, in the interest of enhancing the happiness of a majority. He considered this a false conclusion, but one that needed to be addressed.”