Utilitarianism.......?

Does anyone have an answer? Or is Utilitarianism flawed?

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[hairball71]

Utilitarianism is not to be confused with outright democracy. Utilitarians like John Stuart Mill understood that tyranny can also come from the majority. As long as an action (from an individual or group) does not infringe on another person's right to life liberty or property. Democracy is, by its very nature, mob rule and should be avoided.

[vandbg]

@hairball71 The danger of tyranny is (as has been shown throughout history) the inevitable rising of a malevolent leader, and the fact that they are solely in charge leaves no barriers for them to cross. However, you are correct, I believe, on mob rule, as it is quite absurd to claim that the majority has more of a collective intelligence than the minority. The majority is merely the average intelligence of the whole, which is not necessarily greater than the minority's intelligence.

[SHSimps]

...

You take each individuals pain or pleasure, and this pain or pleasure is counted as one if they are for the same cause.

i.e if 2 people want to order pizza and one doesnt, they should order pizza as it brings the greatest happiness for the greatest number. But yeh, the problem is the 2 may only slightly want pizza, but the 1 may deperatly want pizza. Tbh, utilitarianism is a good idea but shit in practice

[vandbg]

exactly. People, I think, should rather decide based on the average lust of the party.

[hairball71]

The greatest good (utility) is usually achieved when we are able to pursue our own self interest without coercion from individuals or government so long as those goals do not deny life, liberty, or property of another.

[LiberalsUtopian]

Basically, but then there are different subsets within utilitarianism as well. A 1 minute video is insufficient and people should research utilitarianism further on their own. Thank you.

[PhecdaYuma]

@vandbg Hello, Im curious if your Statement above, still applies now.. if you were to tie it in with the WALL STREET group. There is "no one leader" in the group. No ONE demand and certainly No ONE Directed Corporation they are confronting. This MOB is assuming that all "Corporations" (due to same laws) do the same things. yet, there are NO "Demands" set for Any Particular Group since "Corporation" is not one set Entity. You would be, perhaps? a good speaker about this?

[lukebeevers93]

@gotitans999 The position you are advancing is ethical egoism, not utilitarianism. That position is even more flawed. "The highest ratio possible per individual" is a contradiction in terms because surely that is not a utilitarian outlook as it puts emphasis on individual rights over majority rights. The question I would ask you is this : Would you justify causing pain to someone in order that another person's pleasure could be increased overall more by this action?

[gotitans999]

@Pres25man But objects are finite, and happiness is not.  A higher ratio of happiness per individual is always possible.

[gotitans999]

@lukebeevers93 Flawed logic alert: Happiness is measured by overall individual ratio's not the total sum. That's like saying stealing $10 but then donating $100 is moral because it still is a positive equation. Rather, the highest ratio possible per individual must be achieved.

[lukebeevers93]

Utilitarianism as a concept is flawed and has truly, truly horrific implications. For example, if the population of Earth was 1 million and all these people are happy, say 99 units of happiness each, then there are 99 million units of happiness in the world. If there were 50 billion humans on Earth who each had appalling lives, say one unit of happiness each, then there would be 50 billion units of happiness in the world. Scenario 2 has the most overall happiness, so is this the best scenario?!!

[sirbestnameever]

vandbg@ well your right there but this arument would let a killer free as he has the right to happiness, Utilitarianism works on the idea that let have as many happy people and then help the outher after.

[hairball71]

The greatest good (utility) is usually achieved when we are able to pursue our own self interest without coercion from individuals or government so long as those goals do not deny life, liberty, or property of another.