utilitarity

Utilitarianism is a family of ethical theories that prescribe actions that maximize happiness and well-being for all affected individuals. The core principle is that the best action is the one that produces the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people. This good is often understood as pleasure or happiness, and the bad as pain or suffering. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory, meaning that the morality of an action is determined by its outcome or consequence.

There are different variations of utilitarianism. Act utilitarianism suggests that each individual action should be evaluated based on its consequences, and the action that produces the most utility should be chosen. Rule utilitarianism, on the other hand, argues that moral rules should be followed if they generally lead to the greatest good for the greatest number. For example, a rule against lying might be universally beneficial, even if a specific lie could produce a good outcome in a particular instance.

Key figures in the development of utilitarianism include Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. Bentham focused on the quantity of pleasure, developing a "hedonistic calculus" to measure it. Mill, while agreeing with the foundational principles, introduced a distinction between higher and lower pleasures, arguing that intellectual and moral pleasures are qualitatively superior to purely physical ones.

Critics of utilitarianism raise concerns about its demanding nature, the difficulty of accurately predicting consequences, and potential issues with justice and individual rights, as the happiness of the majority might sometimes come at the expense of a minority. Despite these criticisms, utilitarianism remains a significant and influential ethical framework in philosophy and public policy.