Question

What are some of the ways that Bentham thinks that utility may be measured

Answer 1

Utilitarian theory suggested by Bentham suggested that the rightness or wrongness of an action would depend on the pleasure or pain that action produces. He also introduced a utility or hedonistic calculator with certain parameters to measure them. One of the most important among them is intensity which refers to how strong the particular pleasure or pain is. This is because it’s the intensity that would provide an idea about how one feels about the pain and pleasure in a relative manner. Secondly, the duration of the pleasure or pain is very important parameter as it would depend on the time period one enjoys the pleasure or suffers pain. Certainty is yet another parameter which suggests that how likely or unlikely such pleasure or pain is for sure to happen. The other measures being propinquity which refers to how soon or later it would occur, fecundity which refers to the continuity of the same sensation of pain or pleasure in the future, purity which refers to the sensations of opposite kind to occur and finally extent which refers to how many people would be affected.

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