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Part of a series on
Utilitarianism
Predecessors
Epicurus
David Hume William Godwin Francis Hutcheson
People
Jeremy Bentham John Stuart Mill
Henry Sidgwick Richard Mervyn Hare Peter Singer
Types of utilitarianism
Preference Rule Act
Two-level Total Average
Relative Negative Hedonism
Enlightened self-interest
Key concepts
Pain Suffering Pleasure
Utility Happiness Eudaimonia
Consequentialism Felicific calculus
Problems
Mere addition paradox
Paradox of hedonism
Utility monster
Related topics
Rational choice theory Game theory
Social choice Neoclassical economics
Politics portal
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Look up felicific calculus in Wiktionary the free dictionary.
Felicific calculus: Definition from Answers.com
felicific calculus The possibility of computing the value of units' of happiness, associated with the utilitarianism of Bentham
felicific calculus The possibility of computing the value of units' of happiness, associated with the utilitarianism of Bentham
The felicific calculus is an algorithm formulated by utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham for calculating the degree or amount of pleasure that a specific action is likely to cause. Bentham an ethical hedonist believed the moral rightness or wrongness of an action to be a function of the amount of pleasure or pain that it produced. The felicific calculus could in principle at least determine the moral status of any considered act. The algorithm is also known as the utility calculus the hedonistic calculus and the hedonic calculus.
Economic: Jeremy Bentham - Felicific Calculus
Bentham's attempt to measure economic welfare in the scientific sense took the form of the felicific calculus, or summing up, of collective pleasures and pains. ...
Bentham's attempt to measure economic welfare in the scientific sense took the form of the felicific calculus, or summing up, of collective pleasures and pains. ...
Variables or vectors of the pleasures and pains included in this calculation which Bentham called "elements" or "dimensions" were:clarification needed
Intensity: How strong is the pleasure
Duration: How long will the pleasure last
Certainty or uncertainty: How likely or unlikely is it that the pleasure will occur
Propinquity or remoteness: How soon will the pleasure occur
Fecundity: The probability that the action will be followed by sensations of the same kind.
Purity: The probability that it will not be followed by sensations of the opposite kind.
Extent: How many people will be affected
Contents
1 Bentham's instructions
2 Hedons and dolors
3 See also
4 Further reading
5 References
Bentham's instructions
Begin with any one person of those whose interests seem most immediately to be affected by it: and take an account
Of the value of each distinguishable pleasure which appears to be produced by it in the first instance.
Of the value of each pain which appears to be produced by it in the first instance.
Of the value of each pleasure which appears to be produced by it after the first. This constitutes the fecundity of the first pleasure and the impurity of the first pain.
Of the value of each pain which appears to be produced by it after the first. This constitutes the fecundity of the first pain and the impurity of the first pleasure.
Sum up all the values of all the pleasures on the one side and those of all the pains on the other. The balance if it be on the side of pleasure will give the good tendency of the act upon the whole with respect to the interests of that individual person; if on the side of pain the bad tendency of it upon the whole.
Take an account of the number of persons whose interests appear to be concerned; and repeat the above process with respect to each. Sum up the numbers expressive of the degrees of good tendency which the act has with respect to each individual in regard to whom the tendency of it is good upon the whole. Do this again with respect to each individual in regard to whom the tendency of it is bad upon the whole. Take the balance which if on the side of pleasure will give the general good tendency of the act with respect to the total number or community of individuals concerned; if on the side of pain the general evil tendency with respect to the same community.citation needed
Felicific calculus - Definition | WordIQ.com
The felicific calculus was an algorithm formulated by Jeremy Bentham ... The calculus was proposed by Bentham as part of his project of making morals amenable to ...
The felicific calculus was an algorithm formulated by Jeremy Bentham ... The calculus was proposed by Bentham as part of his project of making morals amenable to ...
To make his proposal easier to remember Bentham devised what he called a "mnemonic doggerel" (also referred to as "memoriter verses") which synthesized "the whole fabric of morals and legislation":
felicific calculus - Wiktionary
The technique of felicific calculus was famously described by Bentham in chapter 4 of An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation ...
The technique of felicific calculus was famously described by Bentham in chapter 4 of An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation ...
Intense long certain speedy fruitful pure
Such marks in pleasures and in pains endure.
Such pleasures seek if private be thy end:
If it be public wide let them extend
Such pains avoid whichever be thy view:
If pains must come let them extend to few.
Hedons and dolors
Wikipedia:Felicific calculus - Global Warming Art
The following article is a local copy of the Wikipedia article at Felicific calculus. The text is licensed under CC-BY-SA and was copied on March 27, 2011 at 09:06. ...
The following article is a local copy of the Wikipedia article at Felicific calculus. The text is licensed under CC-BY-SA and was copied on March 27, 2011 at 09:06. ...
The units of measurements used in the felicific calculus may be termed hedons and dolors.1 They may be regarded as similar to the utilitarian posends and negends.
See also
Ethical calculus
Science of morality
Mill's Utilitarianism
Further reading
Jeremy Bentham An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation London 1789 chap. 4
References
San Diego University - Glossary by Lawrence M. Hinman
felicific calculus: Information from Answers.com
felicific calculus ID : 20212 DATE : 2009-02-25 TYPE : WORD TITLE : felicific calculus DESCRIPTION : The felicific calculus is an algorithm formulated
felicific calculus ID : 20212 DATE : 2009-02-25 TYPE : WORD TITLE : felicific calculus DESCRIPTION : The felicific calculus is an algorithm formulated
Felicific calculus - Psychology Wiki
The felicific calculus was an algorithm formulated by Jeremy Bentham for calculating the degree or amount of happiness that a specific action is likely ...
The felicific calculus was an algorithm formulated by Jeremy Bentham for calculating the degree or amount of happiness that a specific action is likely ...
Talk:Felicific calculus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
I think that the factor of fairness should also be taken account in the calculus. ... The felicific calculus is a subset of utility calculi at best, thus ...
I think that the factor of fairness should also be taken account in the calculus. ... The felicific calculus is a subset of utility calculi at best, thus ...
Felicific calculus
The felicific calculus is an algorithm formulated by utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham for calculating the degree or amount of pleasure that a specific...
The felicific calculus is an algorithm formulated by utilitarian philosopher Jeremy Bentham for calculating the degree or amount of pleasure that a specific...











