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Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions pp 2324Cite as

Utilitarianism

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Related Terms

Consequentialism; Teleological ethics; Utilitarian ethics

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Utilitarianism is a moral theory or ethical perspective which judges the morality of actions based on an evaluation of consequences (or effects, outcomes). The good consequences of actions (e.g., that people’s preferences are fulfilled, or that they become happier) are weighed against the bad consequences (e.g., any pain or suffering which the action leads to), and the central ethical obligation is to perform the action whose overall consequences are the best (or most beneficial) in a given situation. By implication, actions are considered morally wrong if there was something else which the agent could have done in the situation which would have produced a better outcome. Being a central form of teleological or consequentialist ethics, utilitarianism is commonly contrasted with deontological ethics – which judges the morality of actions based on their adherence to (most often strict) action-principles...

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References

  • Bentham, J. (1970/1789). Introduction to principles of morals and legislation. In J. H. Burns, H. L. A. Hart (Eds.) New York: Oxford University Press.

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  • Mill, J. S. (1991/1859). Utilitarianism. In H. B. Acton (Ed.) London: Dent.

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  • Smart, J. J. C., & Williams, B. (1973). Utilitarianism: For and against. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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  • Tännsjö, T. (2008). Understanding ethics (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, Linguistics & Theory of Science, University of Gothenburg, 200, 40530, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Dr. Joakim Sandberg

Authors
  1. Dr. Joakim Sandberg
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Correspondence to Joakim Sandberg .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Systematic Theology, Faculty of Theology, Copenhagen University, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Anne L. C. Runehov

  2. Pontificia Universita Antonianum, Roma, Italia

    Lluis Oviedo

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© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

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Sandberg, J. (2013). Utilitarianism. In: Runehov, A.L.C., Oviedo, L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8265-8_704

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8265-8_704

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-8264-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4020-8265-8

  • eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law

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