Bentham's Utilitarianism

Jeremy Bentham: From An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legisation

1 Jeremy Bentham (1748 – 1832):
British jurist, philosopher and social reformer; political radical in favor of equal rights for women, abolition of physical punishment and slavery, and for animal rights

2 Bentham’s Utilitarianism
2.1 Empirical claim as starting point: “Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure.” (p. 65) They govern our thinking and acting.
2.2 Principle of Utility: is “that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever, according to the tendency which it appears to have to augment or dininish the happiness of the party whose interest is in question.” (p. 65) Three points have to be noted:a) the principle of utility is an ethical principle that judges actions (i.e. not intentions)b) what is at stake is the happiness, which is interchangeable with pleasure, c) relevant for judgement are the parties involved (or "the community", p. 66)
2.3 Acting according to the principle of utility: An action is conformable to utility “when the tendency it has to augment the happiness of the community is greater than it has to diminish it.” (p. 66)The pleasures of the community, perceived as the sum of the individuals, should be promoted.
2.4 Critical Remarks:
a) How is the transition made from the individual to the community? It might be that the priniple of utility is evident for oneself, but does it have to be for the community?
b) Is-ought-problem: Bentham uses the way the world is, in order to explain how the world should be. But making normative claims on the basis how the world is, undermines the essence of ethics. The question ethics asks is what we should do. – However, Utilitarianism can be founded without concluding from the is to the should. (e.g. Mill)