Hedonistic utilitarianism – calculating consequences by measurable pleasure

Note: the acronym PRRICED can be used to remember the seven criteria of Benham’s hedonic calculus (Purity, Remoteness, Reliability, Intensity, Certainty, Extent, Duration)

Click here for a detailed explanation of Bentham’s philosophy.

Abortion

Bentham’s hedonistic act utilitarianism seeks to maximise the balance of pleasure over pain measured by the hedonic calculus, which uses seven criteria (acronym PRRICED) to gauge the pleasure derived from different actions. In this calculation everyone is to count as one and no-one as more than one – we all have the same stake in the utility calculus. The issue of abortion hinges on the likely future pleasure of the potential child, versus the pleasure or pain to the mother and any other individuals affected by the abortion decision. For example, a hedonistic act utilitarian might see the future pleasure of a handicapped child affected by the disability – so the rational decision might be to abort this foetus and replace it with a potentially happier one. This needs to be set against the pleasure or pain of the mother, not just in childbirth, but in her psychological state should the child be unwanted. Because of the difficulty determining likely consequences it is very difficult to do this calculation in practice – with the added problem that the hedonic calculus itself is frought with difficulty, as how do we know my hedon is the same value as your hedon of pleasure? How too can we be sure of the likely psychological results of an abortion for the mother? There is evidence emerging that mothers experiencing abortion are more likely to encounter mental health problems such as depression in later life.