Utilitarianism (overview)

• Utilitarianism: moral theory that focuses on the results, or consequences, of our actions and treats intentions as irrelevant

  • good consequences = good actions
• actions should be measured in terms of the happiness, or pleasure, that they produce
• egoism: everyone should morally pursue their own goof. Utilitarianism is OTHER regarding
• principle of utility: act as to produce the greatest good for the greatest number

  • suggests that we make decisions as a neutral, benevolent spectator to make fair and unbiased judgements for whats best for the group
• Critique of it: no moral theory ought to demand the taking of an innocent life

  • b/c we live in a world where people sometimes do bad things, and we happen to be there and can do something to make it better, we must. Even if that means getting our hands dirty - and if you stand by and watch something bad happen, then your hands are dirty anyways
• classical utilitarianism: aka act utilitarianism, in any given situation, you should chose the action that produces the greatest good for the greatest many
• rule utilitarianism: version of act utilitarianism that says we ought to live by rules that, in general, are likely to lead to the greatest good for the greatest number

  • allows us to refrain from acts that would maximize utility in the short run, and instead follow rules that will maximize utility for majority of the time