PHILOSOPHY - Ethics: Utilitarianism, Part 1 [HD]

In this Wireless Philosophy video, Julia Markovits (Cornell University) gives an introduction to the moral theory of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is the view that the right moral action is the one that maximizes happiness for all.

This is the first video in a three part series.

Help us caption & translate this video!

[WirelessPhilosophy]

Just to forestall any confusion: Dr. Markovits was at MIT when she made this video for us but as of this fall has taken up a position at Cornell.

[rosalynmartin]

You literally just taught me more than my PHIL157 prof has all semester

[justiny.]

“This word shall know pain.” -Pain aka Nagato Uzumaki

[NYCGemini]

I have a philosophy exam in about a week and I can't get anything lower than an A in this class. This video was helpful!

[കേരള]

You made me learn the entire Politics in a nutshell.. love it and the students of yours will be more great full to have a teacher like you to back them up

[jonathanhickman]

Too many people mistakenly believe that Utilitarianism equates to altruism; however, a person should never discount their own happiness when making decisions.  There is also the benefit provided to an individual by being kind to others.  It makes you feel good!

[Evoqueen]

You explained this better than my Professor!! Thank you 🙏🏼

[YoNelly]

I hate ethics. This is the most annoying class I have ever taken. I have read dozens of chapters and all of these theories just spin round and round with no definitive answers. I hate it with a passion.

[monikajagiello]

OMG... Thank you so much for this video! please continue laking such lovely videos, I absolutely understand everything! The images make it really easy to comprehend too..; Thank you again!

[TheSymetrie]

I really like this idea, however I wouldn't put money in direct correlation with long-term happiness.

[LearnEnglishESL]

"Discover for yourselves the reality of things, and strive to assimilate the methods by which
noble-mindedness and glory are attained among the nations and people of the world. No
man should follow blindly his ancestors and forefathers. Nay, each must see with his own eyes, hear with his own ears and investigate independently in order that he may find the truth." – Abdu’l-Baha, Divine Philosophy

[dathletter.]

Thank you professor, I study at Swedish Institute, your neighbor... I needed that lesson on utilitarianism

[huzaifafarooq]

I don't agree with the value theory but agree with the theory of right action.

[StephenGillie]

Being eudaimonistic includes knowing when to be utilitarian, and when to apply another philosophy.

[ilijacar]

Hold up. hold up, hold up... What if life is suffering, then saving 5 lives as that doctor would result in more suffering and less happiness. The actual utilitarian answer is to give the medicine to nobody! Thank you Schopenhauer!

[zckmed]

WOW FINALLLY A VIDEO WHICH EXPLAINS EVERYTHING PROPERLY! THANK YOU

[ttrev]

Does utilitarianism take into account indirect consequences? Like a behavior that might directly save more people but the degradation of a moral code would in the long run do more damage?
The other question i had is does it have to be more happiness? What about least suffering? or a more evolutionary oriented idea for surviving?

[daisyelizabethcampion]

Fascinating that Bentham considered animal rights at the same time as all the other reforms and rights. Perhaps it’s been of importance for quite some time, but somehow we are generally ill-informed.

[robertalbers]

I think the illness analogy only makes sense if needy was the default for some reason. Much like the train tracks question where by default the trains runs over 1 person. I think in order to make this analogy work needy would have to be the owner of the drugs so that there is actually a reason to give them to her. If she doesnt own them then I think that almost everyone would give the drugs to the 5 people since needy isn't really a special case

[fearisaliar]

I'm glad that my humanities professor recommended me this video!