Handout for Lecture . Q 2.

1 Intrinsic value
Does Singer think that sentience is a sucient condition for
being a person? Many of us think that killing is typically bad (or
Part I wrong), independently of its consequences.
Answer No
FEEDBACK ON READING QUIZ correct. at is, we think killing is, typically, intrinsically bad.

is might partly explain why many of us think it is

Q
wrong to proceed in .
Does Peter Singer in his Practical Ethics defend a preference Part II
utilitarian position? For the utilitarian, the goodness or badness of some-
UTILITARIANISM ON KILLING thing always depends on consequences.
answer Yes.
of people got this correct. Indeed, for the utilitarian, while most killings will be
1. Recap
bad, some will be positively good, because they have
Q overall positive consequences.
Utilitarians say that:
Do utilitarians agree that the Best Consequence Principle
us the utilitarian cannot endorse the idea that killing
may be set aside if it conicts with our strong moral intu- (U ) One ought always to act so as to bring about the is intrinsically bad.
itions? maximum possible utility.
Answer No. By the way: I just realised that there is one paragraph in the Study
Classical utilitarians mean by this: maximum possible plea-
got this correct. Guide that is a bit confusing on this. I recommend you cross out
sure.
the nal paragraph of 1.2.2 on page 12.
Preference utilitarians mean by this: maximum possible sat-
Q isfaction of preferences.
Do classical utilitarians think that what is of ultimate value is Quiz
the satisfaction of preferences?
Q.1 By saying that killing is intrinsically bad, must we mean that
Answer No. 2. Killing?
killing is bad, independently of the consequences?
Only got this correct!! [a.] Yes [b.] No
A classical utilitarian seems committed to killing one to save
ve, other things being equal.
Q
It is a bit less clear for a preference utilitarian: well revisit that Quiz
Do classical utilitarians think that pain is intrinsically bad? later.
Q.2 By saying that killing is intrinsically bad, must we mean that
Answer Yes
the so l principle is true?
correct. at least seemed to give killing an especially bad
status. [a.] Yes [b.] No

Q A killing is worse than a mere death.

Do utilitarians allow that the negative eect of killing can be Quiz
Utilitarians appear to treat killing too casually.
compensated for by good outcomes elsewhere? Q.3 By saying that killing is intrinsically bad, must we mean that
(E.g. .) life is intrinsically valuable?
Answer Yes
correct. Why do utilitarians seem to give the wrong answer? [a.] Yes [b.] No

Life, Death, & Morality Lecture .: Utilitarianism

Quiz
Q.4 Which of the following is true, according to utilitarianism?
I Killings are only worse than other deaths if they have worse
consequences.
II The badness of a killing can be completely outweighed by
other consequences.
[a.] I only [b.] II only [c.] I and II [d.] Neither
Part III
THE SPECIAL VALUE OF PERSONS
3. Persons
3.1 Replaceability
We think it is perfectly sensible to sacrice a small in-
terest now for satisfaction of a more substantial interest
later.
But it is not legitimate for me to sacrice Rupert Mur-
dochs small interest in , for my substantial in-
terest in it.
For the utilitarian, however, this sort of trade-o is en-
tirely appropriate. e value lost by frustrating your
preference for X can be replaced by satisfying my pref-
erence for Y.
Can Singer get out of this unattractive consequence, at
least with respect to the preference for life?
3.2 What makes human preferences non-replaceable?
Singer suggests that there is something special about human
beings (in the sense of persons) which explains why the lives
of such persons are not readily replaceable.
Life, Death, & Morality
For preference utilitarians, taking the life of a 3.4 How much does this explain?
person will normally be worse than taking the
life of some other being, since persons are highly Important to ask: how much does this account explain?
future-oriented in their preferences. To kill a
person is therefore, normally, to violate not just e apparent moral dierence between killings and
one, but a wide range of the most central and other deaths?
signicant preferences a being can have. Very
e dierence between Trolley and Transplant?
oen, it will make nonsense of everything that
the victim has been trying to do in the past days,
months, or even years. (Singer , ) 4. Assessment
3.3 What is a person?
e rst AT is due next Wednesday th March.
You can submit up to one week late, but your grade will be
A person is a being which is at least self-conscious. capped at a pass.
It is a very gentle assignment, to warm you up. But dont start
Self-consciousness too late.
Self-consciousness involves the ability to perceive oneself as We will be concerned that you are able to clearly express your
a being which has a history and a future. ideas in a concise word limit. Worth draing your answers
carefully.
More than mere consciousness or sentience.
Linked to memory and ability to anticipate the future.
Hence self-conscious beings can have far more com-
plex preferences than non-self-conscious beings.
Quiz
Q.5 Which of the following statements are true?
I Some non-human animals might be self-conscious.
II An important element in self-consciousness is the ability to
anticipate ones future.
III All members of the species Homo sapiens are self-conscious.
[a.] I and II only. [b.] II and III only. [c.] I and III only. [d.] I
and II and III.
Lecture .: Utilitarianism