The Utilitarian logic :Cost-benefit analysis
the just basis of law is to maximize utility
Bentham: all values can be captured accordding to $
Thordike:any want or satisfaction which exists, exists in some amount and therefore measurable
Czech smoking tax : Philip Morris Study
The Philip Morris study concludes that the government gains by having Czech citizens smoke. It’s a cost/benefit analysis. Net gain if citizens smoke is $$1147 millions. It stated that saving from premature deaths is $1,227 per person.
| Costs | benefits |
|---|---|
| Increased health care costs | Tax revenue from cigarette sales. |
| Health care savings (from early deaths) | |
| Pension savings | |
| Savings in housing costs |
Ford Pinto
Another example is Ford Pinto car. The car tended to erupt in flame in rear-end collisions. The company knew it and did cost/benefits analysis and concluded leaving it unfixed is better than fixing it. In one of the reports it includes a measure of the value of life, $200,000 per death.
| Costs | benefits |
|---|---|
| $$11 per part * 12.5 million cars= $137 million to improve safety | 180 deaths 180 injuries 2000 vehicles = $49.5 million |
Reading 1 from Jeremy Bentham, Principles of Morals and Legislation (1780)
Reading 2 from chapter2 To be Read
Objections on Utilitarism:
1. indivitual right
2. A common currency of value
case : throwing Christians to lions
are the calculations the only reasons to desist from subjecting Christians to violent death for the sake of entertainment
is torture ever justified?
case: torture a terrorist to get the location of bomb
opinions：
- we torture so that thousands of lives will be saved (number counts)
- torture seldom works , because information extracted under duress is often unreliable
- with the use of torture ,overall utility will be reduced
torturing a terrorist might be acceptable , but torturing an innocent people is unacceptable because we have the idea that bad people deserve to be punished - reject torture on principle, stress on human rights and dignity
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