Utilitarianism

Kant and the utilitarians disagree about something fundamental: what makes an action right or wrong? Utilitarians say it’s all about consequences. An action is right if it produces the best overall outcome. Save ten lives by sacrificing one? Do it. The math works out. Kant says that’s backwards. What matters is your intention, your duty. Some actions are wrong regardless of their consequences. Don’t lie, even to save a life. Don’t use people as tools, even for a greater good....

Utilitarianism is simple. Whatever action creates the most happiness for the most people is the right thing to do. That’s it. Jeremy Bentham came up with this in the 1700s. He called it “the greatest happiness for the greatest number.” John Stuart Mill refined it later. The math is straightforward. Count up all the pleasure an action creates. Count up all the pain. Subtract pain from pleasure. The action with the highest score wins....

Most people reject utilitarianism when they first hear about it. The idea that we should maximize happiness for the greatest number sounds cold. Calculating. Inhuman. But watch how people actually make decisions. You’re choosing a restaurant for your family. You pick the place where everyone will be reasonably happy, not the one that makes you ecstatic but your partner miserable. You’re deciding whether to play music. You keep it low because the neighbors are sleeping....