Utilitarianism is a moral theory that advocates for actions that maximize happiness for the greatest number of people, founded by Jeremy Bentham in 1789 and later modified by John Stuart Mill. It is part of consequentialism and includes variations like rule, negative, and preference utilitarianism. Critics argue against quantifying utility, issues of justice, and the demanding nature of the theory, with literary references indicating its social critiques, such as Charles Dickens' 'Hard Times.'

1. UTILITARIANIS
M
Comes from the word utility (the state of being
useful)

2. What is UTILITARIANISM?
● Prescribes actions that are useful in getting ‘maximum
pleasure or happiness for maximum people.’
● Found in 1789 by JEREMY BENTHAM in the book,
‘An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and
Legislations.’ [later modified
by JOHN STUART MILL in 1863 in the book
‘Utilitarianism’]
● Branch of the theory of CONSEQUENTIALISM.
● First worked upon by philosophers like Aristippus,
Epicurus, Shantideva.

3. Principles of Utilitarianism
Pleasure or happiness is the only thing that has intrinsic
value.
Actions are right if they produce happiness, wrong if they
produce unhappiness.
Everyone’s happiness counts equally.
Mill said that both quality and quantity of the pleasure is to be
considered, as opposed to Bentham’s consideration of
quantity (hedonic calculus).
Collectively known as ACT UTILITARIANISM.

4. Deviations from Act Utilitarianism
RULE UTILITARIANISM : an action is right as long it conforms to a
rule. (eg. Stopping at a red light)
NEGATIVE UTILITARIANISM : an action that gives maximum pain
instead of pleasure
Total utilitarianism, average utilitarianism, preference utilitarianism,
motive utilitarianism, etc

5. Criticisms
● Quantifying utility
● Utility ignores justice
● Predicting consequences
● Demandingness
● Aggregating utility
● Special obligations

6. HARD TIMES
A satirical novel by Charles Dickens
(also his shortest novel) in which he
criticizes Industrial revolution and its
effects like Utilitarianism.
Mr. Thomas Gradgrind, a man
believing in utilitarian virtues is
challenged by a free spirited girl Sissy
Jupe.
“I thought I couldn't know whether it
was a prosperous nation or not,
unless I knew who had got the
money, and whether any of it was
mine. But that had nothing to do with
it. It was not in the figures at all..” –
Sissy Jupe

7. UTILITARIANISM IN POP
CULTURE

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