Utilitarianism
Key Terms:
Principle of utility/ greatest happiness: The idea that the choice
that brings about the greatest good for the greatest number is
the right choice
Deontological: from the Latin for ‘duty’, ethics focused on the
intrinsic rightness and wrongness of actions
Teleological: looking to the end results (telos) in order to draw
a conclusion about what is wrong or wrong
Hedonic calculus: the system for calculating the amount of pain
or pleasure generated
Consequentialism: ethical theories that see morality as driven
by the consequences, rather than actions or character of those
concerned
Hedonistic: pleasure-driven
Quantitative: focused on quantity
Qualitative: focused on quality
Act utilitarian: weighs up what to do at each individual occasion
Rule utilitarian: weighs up what to do in principle in all
occasions of a certain kind
Key Terms:
Principle of utility/ greatest happiness: The idea that the choice
that brings about the greatest good for the greatest number is
the right choice
Deontological: from the Latin for ‘duty’, ethics focused on the
intrinsic rightness and wrongness of actions
Teleological: looking to the end results (telos) in order to draw
a conclusion about what is wrong or wrong
Hedonic calculus: the system for calculating the amount of pain
or pleasure generated
Consequentialism: ethical theories that see morality as driven
by the consequences, rather than actions or character of those
concerned
Hedonistic: pleasure-driven
Quantitative: focused on quantity
Qualitative: focused on quality
Act utilitarian: weighs up what to do at each individual occasion
Rule utilitarian: weighs up what to do in principle in all
occasions of a certain kind
