>be me >read a lot of philosophy >Nietzsche, Hume, Schopenhauer, Kierkegaard, Yung--if you permit him. >visit a prestigous university on the west coast >listen to a speech on ethics made by the head of the philosophy department >think I can refute his argument, so go to his office hours >hes a utilitarian, thinks it is objective >tell him utilitarianism isnt objective bc there is no objective arbiter, and it would constantly change--due to scientific revelations--over time >Tells me office hours are over, even though he has 15 minutes left on the clock. >As we are finishing up I ask what could be the justification for utilitarianism, regaurdless of whether or not its objective.
He says good luck with your enquiries, read Mill and Kant.
WTF?!?!?!?!
How can utilitarianism be objective? What could be its objective basis?
Perhaps you.. refuted him.. I'm getting together a sort of group.. a league if you will.. of prodigies, geniuses, and dare I say madmen.. contact me with further details of your.. encounter.. I am interested in the intricacies of your intelligence.. decode this puzzle to find my email..
I personally didnt start with N. I just listed it first m8. If I remember correctly it was either Hume or Kierkegaard
Caleb Kelly
did he say utilitarianism ought to be objective?
Michael Morris
He said utilitarianism is objective because the goal is to maximize well being, which he says, can be defined. I then asked a couple probing questions, later coming to, "Even if utility itself can be objective--which it cant--what is your justification for it being right?". Thats where he stopped the conversation.
Robert Fisher
Wht should I care about others getting maximized at all?
Jayden Sullivan
If you allow that wellness/utility/whatever is the foremost moral value, then it follows that maximizing it is a moral imperative. You need to either deny that whatever value is at stake is a moral good, or you need to refute the maximalization-principle. Attacking the assertion of objectivity is a misplay, for as soon as you grant the above two principles, the necessary conclusion of utilitarianism follows.
Henry Cox
I didnt grant his premises though senpai
Joseph Taylor
Then you're just in a deadlock. Any discussion depends on shared premises. A better angle is to attack the basis for utilitarianism: suffering is often formative, is a part of a balanced life, etc.
