Utilitarianism – John Stuart Mill
1. The main principle of utilitarianism is that we should act so as to promote the greatest good for the greatest number. Suppose you are a university administrator who has to determine how to distribute scholarship money according to this utilitarian principle. Explain why a utilitarian would argue that distributing the same scholarship money evenly such that every student receives the same amount would not maximize utility and why.
2. Imagine Dr. C has a long-time patient named Jones. Jones previously had a history of severe depression with suicidal ideation, but through the interventions of Dr. C, Jones has been seeing a therapist and doing much better. After a regularly scheduled medical checkup, Dr. C discovers that Jones has a rare terminal illness that will likely leave him dead in less than 2 months. Considering his previous mental health history, Dr. C considers withholding this information from Jones. Would Dr. C’s actions pass the test of the categorical imperative? Why or why not?