Utilitarianism

Key Principles of Utilitarianism: The Greatest Happiness Principle: Utilitarianism is often summarized by the principle of utility also known as the greatest happiness principle. According to this principle actions are considered morally right to the extent that they promote happiness and minimize suffering or pain. The ultimate goal is to maximize overall happiness in society. Hedonistic Calculus: Bentham and Mill proposed a method called the hedonistic calculus to calculate the overall happiness or utility of an action. This involves assessing the intensity duration certainty and extent of pleasure or pain that an action is likely to produce. The idea is to determine the course of action that results in the greatest net pleasure after considering all relevant factors. Consequentialist Ethics: Utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical theory meaning it evaluates the morality of an action solely based on its consequences. Actions are judged as right or wrong by the outcomes they produce rather than by some inherent moral principles or rules. Universalizability: Utilitarianism is often understood as a universalizable moral theory. This means that the principle of utility can be applied universally to all rational beings and the moral worth of an action is not contingent on personal preferences or biases.