Utilitarianism
In ethical philosophy, utilitarianism is a family of normative ethical theories that prescribe actions that maximize happiness and well-being for the affected individuals.[1][2] In other words, utilitarian ideas encourage actions that ensure the greatest good for the greatest number.
This article discusses utilitarian ethical and philosophical theory. For John Stuart Mill's book, see Utilitarianism (book). For the architectural theory, see Form follows function.
Although different varieties of utilitarianism admit different characterizations, the basic idea behind all of them is, in some sense, to maximize utility, which is often defined in terms of well-being or related concepts. For instance, Jeremy Bentham, the founder of utilitarianism, described utility as:
Utilitarianism is a version of consequentialism, which states that the consequences of any action are the only standard of right and wrong. Unlike other forms of consequentialism, such as egoism and altruism, utilitarianism considers either the interests of all humanity and/or all sentient beings equally. Proponents of utilitarianism have disagreed on a number of issues, such as whether actions should be chosen based on their likely results (act utilitarianism), or whether agents should conform to rules that maximize utility (rule utilitarianism). There is also disagreement as to whether total utility (total utilitarianism) or average utility (average utilitarianism) should be maximized.
The seeds of the theory can be found in the hedonists Aristippus and Epicurus who viewed happiness as the only good, the consequentialism of the ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi who developed a theory to maximize benefit and minimize harm, and in the work of the medieval Indian philosopher Śāntideva. The tradition of modern utilitarianism began with Jeremy Bentham, and continued with such philosophers as John Stuart Mill, Henry Sidgwick, R. M. Hare, and Peter Singer. The concept has been applied towards social welfare economics, questions of justice, the crisis of global poverty, the ethics of raising animals for food, and the importance of avoiding existential risks to humanity.
Etymology[edit]
Benthamism, the utilitarian philosophy founded by Jeremy Bentham, was substantially modified by his successor John Stuart Mill, who popularized the term utilitarianism.[3] In 1861, Mill acknowledged in a footnote that, though Bentham believed "himself to be the first person who brought the word 'utilitarian' into use, he did not invent it. Rather, he adopted it from a passing expression" in John Galt's 1821 novel Annals of the Parish.[4] However, Mill seems to have been unaware that Bentham had used the term utilitarian in his 1781 letter to George Wilson and his 1802 letter to Étienne Dumont.[3]
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: Mill is trying to deduce what people ought to do from what they in fact do;
naturalistic fallacy
: Mill moves from the fact that (1) something is desirable, i.e. is capable of being desired, to the claim that (2) it is desirable, i.e. that it ought to be desired; and
equivocation fallacy
the : the fact that people desire their own happiness does not imply that the aggregate of all persons will desire the general happiness.
fallacy of composition
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Developments in the 20th century[edit]
Ideal utilitarianism[edit]
The description of ideal utilitarianism was first used by Hastings Rashdall in The Theory of Good and Evil (1907), but it is more often associated with G. E. Moore. In Ethics (1912), Moore rejects a purely hedonistic utilitarianism and argues that there is a range of values that might be maximized. Moore's strategy was to show that it is intuitively implausible that pleasure is the sole measure of what is good. He says that such an assumption:[48]
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"The History of Utilitarianism"
A FAQ by Nigel Phillips on utilitarianism by a web site affiliated to David Pearce.
Utilitarian.org FAQ
, by Ian Montgomerie.
A Utilitiarian FAQ
Large compendium of writings by and about the major utilitarian philosophers, both classic and contemporary.
Utilitarian Philosophers
A summary of classical utilitarianism, and modern alternatives, with application to ethical issues and criticisms.
Utilitarianism
Collection of definitions, articles and links.
Utilitarian Resources
A convenient summary of the major points of utilitarianism.
Primer on the Elements and Forms of Utilitarianism
A concise review of Utilitarianism, its proponents and critics.
Utilitarianism as Secondary Ethic
A summary of some little-known objections to utilitarianism
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