Utilitarianism and consequentialist ethics
Jeremy BenthamJohn Stuart MillPeter Singer
This page delivers no verdict; it presents claims and evidence with their sources. No theory in science is absolute. Method
For everyone
According to utilitarianism, whether an action is right depends on how much its consequences increase the total happiness of everyone. Bentham expressed this as "the greatest happiness of the greatest number". Mill argued that pleasures differ in quality. The view has shaped debates on animal rights and global poverty. Critics argue that individual rights could be sacrificed for the sake of total welfare.
For specialists
Classical utilitarianism combines three elements: consequentialism (only consequences determine rightness), welfarism (well-being is what matters) and equal summation. Act utilitarianism assesses each act on its own; rule utilitarianism looks to the rules whose general observance gives the best outcome. Utility can be defined as the balance of pleasure over pain (hedonism) or as preference satisfaction. How to compare utility across persons is an open problem.
Claims
Positions
- Kantian (deontological) ethics
- Some actions are wrong whatever their consequences; people must never be used merely as a means.[4]
- Rawls
- In adding up benefits across people, utilitarianism does not take seriously the distinction between persons; justice must attend to the position of the worst off.[3]
- Singer
- The interests of every being that can suffer should count equally, which changes how animals are treated and what we owe in aid.[4]
Connections
Sources
- Book (1789). An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. T. Payne and Son, London
- Book (1863). Utilitarianism. Parker, Son, and Bourn, London
- Book (1971). A Theory of Justice. Harvard University Press
- EncyclopediaThe History of Utilitarianism. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophyplato.stanford.eduarchive
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Cite this page
Athena contributors. (2026). Utilitarianism and consequentialist ethics. Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/faydacilik/
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title = {Utilitarianism and consequentialist ethics},
author = {{Athena contributors}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/faydacilik/}},
note = {Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Accessed: 2026-11-01}
}Added: September 28, 2026 · Last changed: September 28, 2026 · Page history