Library Reference: N/A

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534584306/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233793391&sr=8-1

Quote:  “determining the rightness of actions are considerations having to with the future”

What I expect to learn:

    I expect to learn what are the thing that James Rachels about Utilitarianism.

Book Review:

     The first proposition is when we judge our actions base on what we know is right and wrong.  Hedonism is about pleasure and nothing is bad when your action is came from pleasure because you just satisfying your needs as a human being. The respond of the defenders of utilitarianism to hedonism is their two doctrines the good and the right.

    Second proposition is when we think about the consequence of our action after we judge it and thus making the right actions the greatest producers of balance of happiness over unhappiness. Utilitarianism is about pleasure but what is good and right pleasure in a human being to have.

    Third proposition is calculating the happiness and unhappiness that we felt after our action. Justice, rights, and promises are being done because they don’t want to have scandals and riots. In short justice, rights, and promises are done to have peace and order in the society. The act utilitarian considers the consequences of the act while the rule utilitarian considers the consequences that result of a rule of conduct. Utilitarianism reply to the objections by analysing first the problem, then judge whether that action is right or not before thinking the consequence to the action made.

The third line of defense is about finding and feeling ways that we learn form our surrounding. Nonhuman animals are just the same as we but in a lower manner of thinking. Yes, animals don’t speak but they can feel too just like us and that is enough to give them the treatment that we get.

What I learned:

    I thought that utilitarianism is flawless but it’s not.

Review Question:

1.    Rachels says that classical utilitarianism can be summed up in three propositions. What are they?

•    The first proposition is when we judge our actions base on what we know is right and wrong. Second proposition is when we think about the consequence of our action after we judge it and thus making the right actions the greatest producers of balance of happiness over unhappiness. Third proposition is calculating the happiness and unhappiness that we felt after our action.

2.    Explain the problem with hedonism. How do defenders of utilitarianism respond to this problem?

•    Hedonism is about pleasure and nothing is bad when your action is came from pleasure because you just satisfying your needs as a human being. The respond of the defenders of utilitarianism to hedonism is their two doctrines the good and the right. Yes, utilitarianism is about pleasure but what is good and right pleasure in a human being to have.

3.    What are the objections about justice, rights, and promises?

•    Justice, rights, and promises are being done because they don’t want to have scandals and riots. In short justice, rights, and promises are done to have peace and order in the society. Even a person who is innocent must put to death just to have order in the society and that is not right. Objections about justice, rights, and promises are more on moral imperatives.

4.    Distinguish between rule-and act- utilitarianism. How does rule utilitarianism reply to the objections?

•    The act utilitarian considers the consequences of the act while the rule utilitarian considers the consequences that result of a rule of conduct. Utilitarianism reply to the objections by analysing first the problem, then judge whether that action is right or not before thinking the consequence to the action made. Lastly, utilitarianism thinks about the happiness of their consequences for others.

5.    What is the third line of defense?

•    The third line of defense is about finding and feeling ways that we learn form our surrounding. Yes, this defense makes us better in a sense that it triggers our self-awareness about things in our society.

Discussion Questions:

1.    Smart’s defense of utilitarianism is to reject common moral beliefs when they conflict with utilitarianism. Is this acceptable to you or not? Explain your answer.

•    Not acceptable to me because if you don’t protect yourself from other immoral things that are going around in your surroundings then how could you possibly see and learn different morals that other people believes in. in short smart defense is better than to have no defense at all because at the end of the day the only thing that matters in this world is what have you learn and apply it in your life to be a better person.

2.    A utilitarian is supposed to give moral consideration to all concerned. Who must be considered? What about nonhuman animals? How about lakes and streams?

•    I think giving consideration must not only be to those people in need but to all living thing in this world because they are given life to live and we cannot take that away from them but rather we should protect it and cherish it. Nonhuman animals are just the same as we but in a lower manner of thinking. Yes, animals don’t speak but they can feel too just like us and that is enough to give them the treatment that we get. The lakes and the streams are just the same as living being they are here in this world just for nothing, so we should take good care of them.

3.    Rachels claims that merit should be given moral consideration independent of utility. Do you agree?

•    I agree with Rachels, because he sees that moral consideration is different for every person. The mistakes that we often do is that we generalize that what is good and bad is applicable to all and I think that is wrong because we should understand deeper that person before we can say that he/she committed a immoral action/s.

Integrative Questions:

1.    How does Utilitarianism works today?

2.    Where can we find Utilitarianism today?

3.    Why should we know Utilitarianism?

4.    What good thus it makes if we know Utilitarianism?

5.    When is the time to apply Utilitarianism to our society?