Why Might a Utilitarian Think That Expected Consequences Are What

question 14

Multiple Choice

Why might a utilitarian think that expected consequences are what matter to utilitarian evaluation instead of actual?

• A) If we could go back in time to change things, we would change acts based on their actual consequences because what happens is all we care about.
• B) Our inability to know all the actual consequences of an act would make knowing right from wrong impossible.
• C) The purpose of utilitarianism is to evaluate acts by consequences, not serve as a decision-making procedure.
• D) The only purpose of utilitarian theory is to specify the conditions under which an act is right or wrong.

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Definitions:

Obsession

Obsession refers to persistent and intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that cause significant anxiety or distress.

Compulsion

A persistent, irresistible, and irrational urge to perform an act or ritual repeatedly.

Classical Conditioning

A training method where two stimuli are consistently presented together, leading to a response initially triggered by the second stimulus eventually being triggered by just the first stimulus.

Bureaucracies

Bureaucracies describe organizational structures that are characterized by a hierarchy of authority, a clear division of labor, explicit rules, and impersonality in managerial decisions.