Study Guide:
James Rachels – The Debate over
Utilitarianism
1. Explain the three key points that Rachels identifies as central to
the Utilitarian viewpoint.
2. What is Rachels purpose in this article? Is he explaining utilitarianism,
objecting to utilitarianism, explaining the objections of others to utilitarianism,
defending utilitarianism from the objections of others, some combination of
these, etc.?
3. What is Rachels point in giving the examples of the pianist and the back-stabbing
friend?
4. McCloskey's example of the riots is supposed to illustrate what sort
of problem for utilitarianism?
5. Explain the point of the Chino Police Department and Peeping Tom examples.
What moral does Rachels think might be drawn from these cases?
6. What are backward-looking reasons and how might they figure in our moral
reasoning? Does Utilitarianism take them into account?
7. Explain Rule Utilitarianism and what problems with Act Utilitarianism
it was developed in response to.
8. How would a Rule Utilitarian respond to each of the problematic cases
that Rachels has discussed?
9. What response does J.J.C. Smart make on behalf of Act Utilitarianism,
in response to these criticisms? What do you think of this response?
10. What sort of consideration does Rachels himself think is important to
our moral reasoning, but which is left out by Utilitarians?