第三讲《给生命标价》..docVIP

哈佛大学公开课 迈克尔·桑德尔教授主讲 第三讲《给生命标价》 上节课我们讨论了 Last time we argued about 女王诉达德利和斯蒂芬斯案 the case of Queen versus Dudley and Stevens, 即救生艇的案例 the lifeboat case, 海上食人惨案 the case of cannibalism at sea. 带着对救生艇上发生事件的讨论 And with the arguments about the lifeboat in mind, 即对达德利和斯蒂芬斯行为赞同与否的讨论 the arguments for and against what Dudley and Stephens did in mind, 让我们再回归 lets turn back to the philosophy, 杰里米·边沁的功利主义哲学 the utilitarian philosophy of Jeremy Bentham. 边沁年生于英格兰 Bentham was born in England in . 岁进入牛津大学 At the age ofhe went to Oxford. 岁入读法学院 Athe went to law school. 岁取得律师资格 He was admitted to the Bar at age 但从没当过律师 but he never practiced law. 而是将毕生精力献给了法学和道德哲学 Instead he devoted his life to jurisprudence and moral philosophy. 上节课我们开始 Last time we began to 思考边沁的功利主义 consider Benthams version of utilitarianism. 他的主要观点简单明确就是 The main idea is simply stated and its this 道德的最高准则 The highest principle of morality, 无论是个人道德还是政治道德 whether personal or political morality, 都是最大化公共福利或曰集体幸福感 is to maximize the general welfare or the collective happiness, 或者说权衡苦乐将幸福最大化 or the overall balance of pleasure over pain; 一句话功利最大化 in a phrase maximize utility. 边沁是这样论证这一原则的 Bentham arrives at this principle by the following line of reasoning 我们都受到痛苦和快乐的支配 Were all governed by pain and pleasure, 苦乐是我们至高无上的主宰 they are our sovereign masters, 因此任何道德体系都应考虑到它们 and so any moral system has to take account of them. 最好怎样考虑呢通过最大化 How best to take account? By maximizing. 从而引出为最多的人谋求最大的幸福这一原则 And this leads to the principle of the greatest good for the greatest number. 我们到底该最大化什么呢 What exactly should we maximize? 边沁说应最大化幸福 Bentham tells us happiness, 或更精确来说最大化功利 or more precisely utility 功利最大化原则不只针对个人 maximizing utility as a principle not only for individuals 也适用于共同体及立法者 but also for communities and for legislators. 边沁问到底什么是共同体 What after all is a community? Bentham asks. 共同体是其成员的集合 Its the sum of the individuals who comprise it. 所以在制定最优政策时 And thats why in deciding the best policy,