Question

Who gave us the Calculus of Felicity? What is it used for? How many parts are there? Define each part. Give an example of ONE ACTIVITY using ALL of the parts of the theory.

Answer 1

The Calculus of Felicity or the hedonic calculus was a measure devised by moral philosopher Jeremy Bentham as a measure of judging morality of an action or decision based on the extent to which it achieves the greatest good for all and secures common (or social) interest. One could calculate how much good or happiness any given action would produce using the calculus of felicity. As a utilitarian, Bentham emphasised on defining goodness in terms of the results or consequences of an action - the greatest good being the one that is for the greatest number of people.

In this regard, Bentham proposed the hedonic calculus which lists seven features of pleasure in order to assess the extent of pleasure or pain achieved in an action. This is based on seven distinct ‘parts’ or criteria which include:

Intensity:

The less intense the pleasure in doing an action the less valuable that action is. However, if the action leads to intense pleasure then its value gets higher and higher.

Duration:

The time period till which the action causes pleasure or pain determines its hedonic value. Thus, Short bursts of pleaure is viewed as less valuable than more lasting pleasure and consequently, acts which ensure the former situation are preferred to those which are short lasting.

Certainty:

As per this criteria, actions which ensure a definitive pleasurable consequence are valued and chosen more frequently than those actions which only leave pleasure as a probabile effect.

Propinquity:

The more distant the benefits, in either space or time, the lesser should be the likelihood that an individual makes a decision in a particular direction.

Fecundity:

An action is considered better than another action if the happiness which the former act causes is likely to be followed by more happiness compared to the later which may cause pleasurable experience only once.

Purity:

This criteria judges the moral quality of an action based on how far does it exclusively that is ‘purely’ cause only pleasure or only pain. An act that causes only pleasure is better than one that causes the same amount of pleasure mixed with a little pain.

Extent:

This criteria pertains to the number of people who benefit from an act. The extent of pleasure as an assessment criteria of moral actions was added by John Stuart Mill and it is closest to the utilitarian principle of ‘greater good for greater number.’

Thus, using the scheme of different parts of the hedonic calculus, an assessment of moral actions was forwarded for use in legal hearings and ethical evaluations in disputes.

For instance, it can be used to judge the moral stance behind the use certain acts of euthanasia to determine whether it is a good act. According to the 7 criteria, euthanasia would be right as the suffering and pain is taken away so the individual need not suffer, nor does the family members, thereby meeting the criteria of intensity, extent as well a propinquity as it helps to secure a lasting peace and pleasure for many poeple. Also, taking someone off a life machine will save money for the health care service and it thus meets the criteria of fecundity and secures other more pleasurable effects for the healthcare. Moroever, If the patients are kept on for longer, there would be a series of unnecessary suffering and loss of money which could otherwise be spent elsewhere. This is better for society in general and it ensures a more pure sign of reduction of pain.