utilitarianism

American  

[yoo-til-i-tair-ee-uh-niz-uhm] / yuˌtɪl ɪˈtɛər i əˌnɪz əm /

noun

1. the ethical doctrine that virtue is based on utility, and that conduct should be directed toward promoting the greatest happiness of the greatest number of persons.

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utilitarianism British  

/ juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛərɪəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. the doctrine that the morally correct course of action consists in the greatest good for the greatest number, that is, in maximizing the total benefit resulting, without regard to the distribution of benefits and burdens

2. the theory that the criterion of virtue is utility

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utilitarianism Cultural  

1. A system of ethics according to which the rightness or wrongness of an action should be judged by its consequences. The goal of utilitarian ethics is to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Jeremy Bentham, an English philosopher, was the founder of utilitarianism; John Stuart Mill was its best-known defender.

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Other Word Forms

• antiutilitarianism noun

Etymology

Origin of utilitarianism

First recorded in 1820–30; utilitarian + -ism

Explanation

If you believe in utilitarianism, you believe that the most valuable things are the most useful — and useful to the greatest number of people possible. General utilitarianism focuses on the utility of things — how useful they are. If you follow utilitarianism, you're probably not going to buy the sleekest, coolest looking car, but the one that gets the best gas mileage and is the most practical. Philosophers Jeremy Bentham and James Mill came up with their own ethical spin on utilitarianism: according to them, we should always be trying to achieve the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.

Example Sentences

Set in a post-apocalyptic Outback, Broken Roads leans heavily into its “Moral Compass,” with options that reflect four different philosophies: utilitarianism, nihilism, Machiavellianism and humanism.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 7, 2024

Musk is using utilitarianism in a more limited way, arguing that as long as he’s sure something will have a net benefit, he’s permitted to do it right now.

From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2023

Bentham was an English lawyer known for his adoption of utilitarianism, a political philosophy that emphasized the goal of achieving the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

From Textbooks • Dec. 14, 2022

It’s the same kind of cold-hearted spreadsheet utilitarianism the Empire uses, which is why he seems so tortured and sure of himself at the same time.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2022

In unity, consistency and thoroughness of method, Bentham’s utilitarianism has a decided superiority over Paley’s.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7 "Equation" to "Ethics" by Various