Compare Utilitarianism with the religion that you have...

Compare Utilitarianism with the religion that you have studied Utilitarianism VS Christianity BASIC MAXIM – â€Å"THE GREATEST HAPPINESS FOR THE GREATEST NUMBER† JEREMY BENTHAM – Act Utilitarianism (each action should be judged on its ability to bring about the greatest happiness for the greatest number) - Devised principle of utility - Established a hedonic calculus to measure pleasure/pain brought about by each action. JOHN STUART MILL – Rule Utilitarianism (rules should be formulated first, based on utilitarian principles. The individual can then judge whether specific acts are acceptable) – Worked for Bentham for many years – Mill distinguished between higher and lower pleasures and†¦show more content†¦Although many Christians would claim that ones Conscience is the foundation of knowing what one ought to do in so far as obeying God, in the end, the decision to act in certain ways is clearly based on the belief that in doing so positive outcomes, leading to increased pleasure, will result. - For example, in Deuteronomy 28:1-68 God issues to the Israelites, via Moses, commandments which had positive consequences if they were obeyed (pleasure) and negative consequences if people disobeyed (pain). - The Bible is very clear that pursuit of pleasure for its own sake can lead one into sin. - One of the best examples of the principle of utility in the Bible is Jesus willingly giving up his life and going to death on the cross where he would endure extreme torture and suffering. So despite his immediate suffering, obedience to God and the positive benefits that his death would bring to the world were considered far greater by him than disobedience (or, obedience would bring both himself and the world greater happiness than disobedience). - The Bible seems to be saying that obedience to God is the means by which people attain a real sense of satisfaction (or pleasure) in their life. - Devotion to God based on Utilitarian principles can also be seen in the