wiz-icon
MyQuestionIcon
MyQuestionIcon
1
You visited us 1 times! Enjoying our articles? Unlock Full Access!
Question

Essayist: Only happiness is intrinsically valuable; other things are valuable only insofar as they contribute to happiness. Some philosophers argue that the fact that we do not approve of a bad person’s being happy shows that we value happiness only when it is deserved. This supposedly shows that we find something besides happiness to be intrinsically valuable. But the happiness people deserve is determined by the amount of happiness they bring to others. Therefore, ___
Which one of the following most logically completes the final sentence of the essayist’s argument?

A
the notion that people can be deserving of happiness is ultimately incoherent
No worries! We‘ve got your back. Try BYJU‘S free classes today!
B
people do not actually value happiness as much as they think they do
No worries! We‘ve got your back. Try BYJU‘S free classes today!
C
the judgment that a person deserves to be happy is itself to be understood in terms of happiness
Right on! Give the BNAT exam to get a 100% scholarship for BYJUS courses
D
the only way to be assured of happiness is to bring happiness to those who have done something to deserve it
No worries! We‘ve got your back. Try BYJU‘S free classes today!
E
a truly bad person cannot actually be very happy
No worries! We‘ve got your back. Try BYJU‘S free classes today!
Open in App
Solution

The correct option is C the judgment that a person deserves to be happy is itself to be understood in terms of happiness
Here we want to find an argument against philosophers'
(C) A person that deserve to be happy is only way because of their contribution to the amount of happiness they bring others
deserved happiness = happiness to others.

flag
Suggest Corrections
thumbs-up
0
similar_icon
Similar questions
Q. In Ursula LeGuin’s short story "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," everyone in the city of Omelas is happy — everyone, that is, except the child who is kept locked in a basement closet. The child is left entirely alone and neglected except for occasional visits from the citizens of Omelas. They come at a certain age as a rite of initiation, to learn the secret of the happiness they enjoy. They come to learn that their happiness has a price: the suffering of an innocent child. In the end, most people stay in Omelas; but a few, unable to bear the fact that they are responsible for the suffering of that child, reject this utopia built upon a utilitarian morality.
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory based upon the belief that happiness is the ultimate good and that people should use happiness as the measure for determining right and wrong. For utilitarian, the right thing to do is that which will bring about the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. Furthermore, utilitarianism argues that the intention of peoples actions does not matter; only the consequences of their actions are morally relevant, because only the consequences determine how much happiness is produced.
Although many useful social policies and much legislation are founded on this "greatest good" philosophy, utilitarianism can be problematic as a basis for morality.
First, happiness is not so easy to quantify, and any measurement is bound to be subjective. Second, in a theory that treats everything except happiness as instrumentally rather than intrinsically valuable, anything or, more importantly, anyone can (and should) be treated as a means to an end, if it means greater happiness. This rejects the notion that human beings have their own intrinsic value. Further, utilitarianism puts the burden of the happiness of the masses on the suffering of the few. Is the happiness of many worth the suffering of a few? Why do those few deserve to suffer? Isn’t this burden of suffering morally irresponsible? This is the dilemma so brilliantly illustrated in LeGuins story.

  1. Utilitarianism has given rise to many good social policies and legislation.
  2. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory based upon the belief that happiness is the ultimate good, even if that causes suffering for a few.
  3. The idea of utilitarianism is cruel, abhorrent and unacceptable.
  4. Utilitarianism is a useful but morally problematic theory.
View More
Join BYJU'S Learning Program
similar_icon
Related Videos
thumbnail
lock
Teachings of Buddhism
HISTORY
Watch in App
Join BYJU'S Learning Program
CrossIcon