El UTILITARISMO de Jeremy BENTHAM y John STUART MILL 💩 Te lo explico de forma práctica! 🤓

Understanding Utilitarianism and Its Implications

Introduction to Ethics and Decision-Making

• The speaker introduces the topic of ethics, emphasizing the distinction between ethics and morality, where ethics analyzes the foundations of moral judgments.

• José Pedro Cornejo, a philosopher, invites viewers to explore criteria for making decisions in life.

The Concept of the Greater Good

• The discussion centers on how to act correctly according to utilitarian principles, which advocate for actions that maximize happiness for the greatest number.

• This principle is known as "the greater good," associated with utilitarianism.

Foundations of Utilitarianism

• Utilitarianism was founded by English philosopher Jeremy Bentham, who had a high opinion of himself and requested his body be displayed after death.

• It is characterized as a universalist ethical theory that evaluates human actions based solely on their consequences rather than intentions.

Evaluating Consequences

• A key question for utilitarians is what types of consequences are inherently desirable and how to understand the causal relationship between actions and outcomes.

• Most forms of utilitarianism agree that morally optimal actions should not be egoistic or anthropocentric; they must consider all affected beings.

Clarifying Non-Egoistic Perspectives

• Non-egoistic evaluation means considering consequences not just for oneself but also for others impacted by one's actions.

• An example involving littering illustrates how individual convenience can lead to broader negative health impacts on communities and ecosystems.

Challenges in Predicting Outcomes

• Recognizing that predicting outcomes isn't always straightforward highlights a limitation in utilitarian reasoning regarding happiness as merely an absence of pain or transient joy.

Critiques of Utilitarianism

• Critics argue that equating morality with happiness complicates ethical foundations since happiness can be fleeting and subjective.

Utilitarianism: A Moral Dilemma?

The Paradox of Happiness and Suffering

• Discusses a scenario where a larger group finds happiness in secretly causing suffering to a smaller group, raising moral questions about the acceptability of such actions.

• Highlights the problematic nature of basing moral evaluations on calculations, emphasizing that values like satisfaction and beauty are not easily quantifiable.

Critique of Utilitarian Calculations

• Introduces John Stuart Mill's critique of Jeremy Bentham's utilitarianism, arguing that happiness is complex and some forms are preferred despite greater suffering.

• Explains how higher pleasures (e.g., love, intellectual pursuits) can be more valued than lower pleasures (e.g., physical comfort), complicating the utilitarian framework.

Limitations of Quantifying Happiness

• Argues against the feasibility of quantifying qualitative states of human experience, especially when comparing different species or unborn beings.

• Points out that even if quantification were possible, the complexity involved would hinder reliable moral decision-making.

Freedom vs. Utility

• Raises concerns about utilitarianism limiting personal freedom by prioritizing utility over individual rights and knowledge exploration.

• Critiques how utilitarianism reduces ethical dilemmas to empirical questions, potentially oversimplifying complex moral issues.

The Enduring Appeal of Utilitarianism

• Explores why utilitarianism remains popular despite its weaknesses; it provides a clear action-oriented ethical framework for political decisions based on benefit calculations.

• Notes that utilitarianism often disregards intentions behind actions and focuses solely on outcomes, which can lead to morally questionable justifications.

Challenges in Reforming Utilitarian Theory

• Discusses attempts to strengthen utilitarian theory through rule-based approaches but warns this could shift it towards deontological ethics instead.