16046
Seminar
WiSe 18/19: Introduction to Utilitarianism
Karsten Schoellner
Comments
Utilitarianism has been one of the most influential moral views of the past centuries, holding in its simplest form that all morality derives from a universal duty to maximize happiness and minimize suffering. Because of its focus on the total ratio of happiness to suffering it can be hard to reconcile with our sense that certain basic rights are inviolable or that every individual life has an absolute value and cannot be sacrificed for the greater good. Hence while its premises can be very compelling, its implications can also be very counter-intuitive. In this seminar we will begin with the historical foundations of utilitarianism set in the 19th century by the liberal philosophers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. In a second section we will discuss modern refinements of the theory as well as prevalent critiques and then conclude with a look at the startling implications utilitarianism can have when applied to future generations or to the animal kingdom as a whole. All readings and discussion will be in English. close
16 Class schedule
Regular appointments
Tue, 2018-10-16 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2018-10-23 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2018-10-30 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2018-11-06 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2018-11-13 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2018-11-20 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2018-11-27 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2018-12-04 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2018-12-11 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2018-12-18 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2019-01-08 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2019-01-15 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2019-01-22 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2019-01-29 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2019-02-05 16:00 - 18:00
Tue, 2019-02-12 16:00 - 18:00