Utilitarianism
Two preliminary definitions:
a. Hedonism
 The belief that pleasure is the highest or the only source of
intrinsic value
 Claims that human beings act in ways to maximize their own
happiness
b. Utility – the ability of an action to bring
about benefit, advantage, pleasure, good
or happiness and to prevent mischief, pain,
evil or unhappiness (finding a balance
between pleasure and pain)
 Utilitarians define a morally good choice as
one that results in the greatest good (or
the greatest pleasure) for the greatest
number of people.
Jeremy Bentham (1748 – 1832)
 Bentham outlined an ethical system based
on a “hedonistic calculation of utility”
Intensity
Duration
Certainty
Propinquity
(nearness)
Fecundity
(productivity)
Purity
Extent
Bentham’s Hedonistic Calculus
How strong will the pain or pleasure be?
How long will the pleasure or pain last?
How likely is it that the expected pain or pleasure will
occur?
How soon will the pleasure or pain be experienced?
How likely is the pleasure or pain to generate or be
followed by pleasure or pain?
How much pain is mixed with the pleasure and vice versa?
How many people will be affected?
 For Bentham, utility is judged quantitatively only; quality
is not considered
John Stuart Mill (1806 – 1873)
 Mill generally agreed with Bentham’s
quantitative approach to utility, but he
added in the qualitative aspect
 Mill places an emphasis on intellectual
pleasure over pleasure of the body
 Mill argues that pain and/or the sacrifice
of pleasure is warranted if it results in the
greater good of all
Act vs. Rule Utilitarianism
 Act Utilitarianism supposes that each particular action
should be evaluated solely by reference to the merit of its
own consequences
o “How much pleasure or pain would result if I did this
now?” (see below*)
 Rule Utilitarianism involves
o Creating rules after each analysis, to save time when
the next such choice arises
o Following the rules that produce the most overall utility
o “How much pleasure or pain would result if
everyone were to do this?”
*How to make a Utilitarian moral choice:
1. Determine who is affected by your choice
2. Determine your alternatives
3. Using the seven criteria, determine the utility for
each affected individual for each alternative
4. Sum up the total utilities for each alternative
5. Choose the alternative that yields the most overall
utility