Utilitarianism — Study Guide

01 — Foundation

What is Utilitarianism?

An ethical theory that judges the morality of an action solely by its consequences. If an action increases total happiness, it's good. If it causes harm, it's bad. Simple.

⚖️ Jeremy Bentham

Founded utilitarianism. Developed the "hedonic calculus" — literally measuring pleasure vs. pain.

📖 John Stuart Mill

Refined the theory. Argued quality of happiness matters too — not just quantity.

🧠 Memory Hook — "H = A²"

"Happiness = Advantage + Absence of pain"

All the synonyms in one shot:

Happiness Advantage Benefit Good Pleasure Profit Unhappiness Disadvantage Cost Evil Pain

02 — The Core Principle

The Principle of Utility

Also called The Greatest Happiness Principle.

Right Action = Action that produces the most happiness
for the greatest number of people affected

                    👁 Focus on OUTCOMES

                    What matters is the result of the action, not the intent or
                        attitude behind it.
                

                    🚫 Not about intentions

                    You could have good intentions but if the outcome causes harm → it's
                        wrong.
                

✓

Benefits

⚖️

✗

Harms

Weigh the total benefits against the total harms across ALL affected parties

03 — Two Types

Type 1

Act Utilitarianism

Evaluate each individual action on its own. Ask: "Will THIS specific act produce the most good right now?"

🔍 Judge act-by-act, case-by-case

Type 2

Rule Utilitarianism

Follow rules that, when universally followed, produce the greatest happiness overall.

📋 Judge rules, not individual acts

04 — Act Utilitarianism Deep Dive

Act Utilitarianism

An act is morally acceptable if and only if its consequences produce the greatest good for the greatest number of people affected.

📍 Real Case Study — Highway Construction

Compensate 150 homeowners−$20M

Construction costs (taxpayers)−$10M

Environmental impact (animal habitats)−$1M

Savings to drivers over 25 years+$39M

Net result+$8M (benefit wins)

✓ Build the highway — total benefit ($39M) > total cost ($31M)

✅ Case FOR Act Util

Focuses on real, practical happiness
Intuitive — most people think this way
Considers everyone affected

❌ Case AGAINST Act Util

Unclear who to include in calculations
Can justify breaking promises
Ignores our sense of duty/obligation

⚠️ The Promise Problem — Why Act Util Gets Tricky

X promised Y something → Keeping promise = 1,000 units of good for Y
Breaking promise = 1,001 units of good for Z
Act Util says: Break the promise! → But this feels wrong 🤔

05 — Rule Utilitarianism Deep Dive

Rule Utilitarianism

An action is right if it follows a rule that leads to the greatest good. The correctness of a rule is determined by how much good it brings when universally followed.

"Is it OK for everyone to do this?"
Not just: "Is it OK for me?"

✅ Case FOR Rule Util

Easier to apply — just follow the rule
No need to calculate every decision
Rules survive exceptional situations
Avoids the bias of "what's good for me"
Appeals to a broad cross-section of society
Solves the promise problem ✓

❌ Limitation

Rules may sometimes produce less good in specific edge cases
Requires agreement on which rules to follow

06 — Side-by-Side Comparison

Act vs. Rule — At a Glance

Dimension	⚡ Act Utilitarianism	📋 Rule Utilitarianism
Unit of evaluation	Each individual act	The rule behind the act
Question asked	"Does THIS act produce most good?"	"Does following this RULE produce most good?"
Promise scenario	Break it if it gives 1 more unit of good	Keep it — the rule of keeping promises gives more good long-term
Bias risk	Higher — each decision is isolated	Lower — asks "is it OK for everyone?"
Ease of use	Harder — must calculate every time	Easier — just follow the established rule

07 — Common Confusion: Rule Util vs. Kantianism

Both Follow Rules — But Why?

Rule Utilitarianism and Kantianism both use rules, but they arrive at them very differently.

📋 Rule Utilitarian

Follows a rule because its universal adoption produces the greatest happiness.

Focus: Consequences

⚖️ Kantian

Follows a rule because it aligns with the Categorical Imperative — treat humans as ends, never merely as means.

Focus: The will / intention

🧠 Memory Hook

"Util looks at WHERE you end up. Kant looks at WHY you're going."

08 — Quick Review Flashcards

Test Yourself

👆 Click any card to reveal the answer

What does "utility" mean?

The tendency of an object/action to produce happiness or prevent unhappiness for an individual or community.

Who founded utilitarianism?

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill.

What does Act Utilitarianism evaluate?

Each individual action based on whether it produces the greatest good for the greatest number affected by that specific act.

What does Rule Utilitarianism evaluate?

Rules — an action is right if it follows a rule that, when universally followed, leads to the greatest good.

What is the main criticism of Act Utilitarianism?

It can justify breaking promises or duties if doing so produces even 1 more unit of good — ignoring our innate sense of obligation.

How does Rule Util solve the promise problem?

The rule "keep your promises" produces more good overall when universally followed, so we keep promises even if breaking one might give slightly more good this one time.

What's the key difference between Kantianism and Rule Util?

Rule Util follows rules based on consequences (what produces most happiness). Kantianism follows rules based on the Categorical Imperative (treat humans as ends, not means).

Another name for the Principle of Utility?

The Greatest Happiness Principle.

🗺 Big Picture Summary

STEP 01

Identify the action

What are you considering doing?

STEP 02

Who is affected?

List all individuals/groups impacted.

STEP 03

Calculate consequences

Estimate total benefits vs. total harms for everyone.

STEP 04

Choose Act or Rule

Act: judge this act alone. Rule: does a universal rule apply?

STEP 05

Moral verdict

Net benefit → morally right. Net harm → morally wrong.