Questions to ask yourself:

• Do you understand all of the distinctions contained in the text, and in the on-line documents?

• Do you understand the difference between Act and Rule Utilitarianism?

• Do you understand the difference between Bentham and Mill ?

• Do you understand the principle problems with Utilitarianism?

• Do you understand the relation of the Ethical Theory of Utilitarianism to the theory of a democratic state?

If you are uncertain of the answers or answer  "NO" to these questions you should go back and review the texts again..

Questions to ask yourself:

• When you think of the place of reason in ethics, is this utilitarian picture what you have in mind? Are there any other ways that reason can function in ethical decisions?
• It should be clear that utilitarianism focuses upon the ends, the goals of actions. There is no action that is wrong in and of itself. Do you agree with this position? Or do you believe that there are actions that, regardless of the beneficial consequences, ought not be done?
• Bentham or Mill
  Which version of utilitarianism seems more convincing to you, Bentham's or Mill's? Why?
• Pleasure or what? Any other intrinsically valuable things?
  Is pleasure the only intrinsically valuable thing? Are there others? Or, is it reasonable to think that all intrinsically valuable things can be sufficiently expressed as one or another pleasure?

If you are uncertain of the answers  you should go back and review the texts again..

Proceed to the next chapter by clicking for the textbook Table of Contents.