The Philosophy behind 'Love Island'

'Love Island' is undoubtedly one of this summers most watched programmes, but what is the philosophy behind it?

'Love island' is a reality show where people compete to be the best couple to win money. Although the idea is to find love, few apply for this reason alone. In philosophy this is called means to an end. You apply for a popular show to find love, to become famous, to win money and eventually to have a better life. This may be for some the supreme Good or eudaimonia. 

Utilitarians foundation of their consequentialist moral theory is psychological hedonism. Psychological hedonism is the empirical idea that humans persue pleasure and strive to minimise pain. This in turn is the utility principle which is what contestants on 'Love Island' persue. 

The contestants are often accused of playing a game in order to win the show and to discuss this we must first understand Kantian Ethics. In Kantian Ethics the emphasis is on the motive of the action. Where the consequences of winning the show or coupling up with someone are hard to predict, the intentions behind the choices can be analysed. 

The motive behind many choices is to win the show, therefore, without persuing pleasure necessarily, the contestants are still making a moral choice in Kant's eyes. The moral agent (the thing making the choices) is responsible and should therefore accept moral responsibility for their actions. 

Aristotle would view the show in a different way. His theory takes into account motives, actions and consequences to determine whether an action is a good one. The first principle of Aristotelian ethics is that everything in life has have a function. A humans function is to be rational and therefore by making choices to apply and persue a better life is a moral choice.

The best life in Aristotles eyes is eudaimonia which is the final end or the supreme Good. In order to reach this supreme good we must not strive for wealth, honour or goodness but should strive for a life of contemplation. In 'Love Island' the contestants persue wealth, honour and goodness but not contemplation so Aristotle would say they are immoral. 

By looking at these various moral theories we can use the show as an example of a moral problem for which we can solve. Therefore, it is not all bad since for utilitarianism participants are simply perusing pleasure and watchers are doing the same so it is a good moral action