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Utilitarianism
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An ethical theory behind the justification for ‘the
greater good’
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Key Words:
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General Strengths
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Assumes human well being is intrinsically good
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”
– Matthew 7:!2
Motives may be good or bad but only consequences
have an effect
Encourages democracy
Situational Flexibility
Doesn’t rely on metaphysical principles

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Teleological – the end justifies the
means
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Hedonism – an ethical theory that
determines what is right or wrong
in terms of pleasure
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Act utilitarianism – an action is morally good if it produces the most happiness and pleasure
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It was a egalitarian system
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It is good if it produces pleasure and happiness, and a good act is
one that produces the most pleasure and happiness
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Hedonic Calculus – Bentham’s way of numerically calculating a moral decision
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 The quantitative nature makes the most people possible happy
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 The hedonic calculus provokes meaningful thought on what our actions
should be
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We should overlook
our individual differences and look towards the ‘greater good’
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This is fair in a democracy
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 By only focusing on happiness and pleasure, utilitarianism reduces morality
from its complex nature to something far simpler that can be followed with
mottos
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The ends do not always justify the means:
 Hitler aimed to bring about the ‘greatest good for the greatest number’, yet
we know that he was not a moral person
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John Stuart Mill, 1806 – 1873
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‘On Liberty and Utilitarianism’, 1859
Saw flaws in Bentham’s theory, so devised his own
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 There are higher and lower pleasures
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Lower pleasures are physical – they satisfy the body
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”
 Once you have experienced both higher and lower pleasures, you can be a
competent judge of other actions
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There should be a harm
principle in ethics so this is avoided
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General rules should be devised, that can be applied to individual situations
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Claims that the Hedonic Calculus is far too time consuming for practical, everyday use
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Ultimately, Mill would break a rule (and therefore rule utilitarianism) if breaking it leads to
the greatest happiness
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to save a life, it may not only be allowable, but a duty, to steal, or take by
force, the necessary food or medicine, or to kidnap, and compel to officiate,
the only qualified medical practitioner
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For example, we should
allow people to smoke in private even though smoking leads to terrible illness etc
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Strengths
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Is also hedonistic – focuses on pleasure and happiness, which is important
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The focus on the qualitative nature allows us to expand our unique human abilities as we
strive for higher pleasures
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Operates without God – you do not have to follow a scripture
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As a human race we are too immature and selfish for
utilitarianism to work in society
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It is elitist – those who live in poverty or are poorly educated cannot access higher pleasures,
such as reading and discussing philosophy
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Higher and lower pleasures are hard to define – why should a sexual relationship be lower if
it produces as much (or more) happiness than a friendship?
Rule utilitarianism is too rigid – it fails to take into account the complexity of individual
situations
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 Equal value is important – “My interests cannot, simply because they are my
interests, count more than the interests of anyone else”
 What would people rationally prefer to happen? What will be better in the
long run?
 What is in the best interests of all people involved?
 You must concentrate on minimising the suffering rather than maximising
the pleasure
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Replaces pleasure with ‘best interests’
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Sidgwick – motives: it is the motive (intending to bring about the greatest good) rather than
the outcome that is good

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Singer – interests: you need to look at what is in the best interests of those affected (some
people call Singer a 'welfare Utilitarian')



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