Utilitarianism Quotes

[blank_start]Utility[blank_end]: "That property which is any object, whereby it tends to produce [blank_start]benefit[blank_end], advantage, [blank_start]pleasure[blank_end], good or happiness [...] if the community in general, then the [blank_start]happiness[blank_end] of that community; if a particular individual, then the [blank_start]happiness[blank_end] of that individual." - [blank_start]Bentham[blank_end]

Right and Wrong Standard: "fashioned upon the [blank_start]fact[blank_end] that [blank_start]pleasure[blank_end] attracts and [blank_start]pain[blank_end] repels." - Bentham

Equality in selves: "[blank_start]everyone[blank_end] is to count for one and [blank_start]no one[blank_end] more than one." - Bentham

"An act is [blank_start]right[blank_end] if and only if it is in line with the code or set of [blank_start]rules[blank_end] which would produce the most [blank_start]happiness[blank_end] (more than any [blank_start]alternative[blank_end] code), if everyone in [blank_start]society[blank_end] obeyed it." - Mill

Utility: "The permanent [blank_start]interests[blank_end] of man as a [blank_start]progressive[blank_end] being." - [blank_start]Mill[blank_end]

"Human beings have more than animal [blank_start]desires[blank_end] and once we know that, we do not regard anything as [blank_start]true happiness[blank_end] that include [blank_start]satisfaction[blank_end] of those desires." - Mill (animal = food, water, mating, etc. = [blank_start]lower[blank_end] pleasures)

"Utility is not a [blank_start]godless[blank_end] doctrine, but more profoundly religious than any other [...] whatever God has thought fit to [blank_start]reveal[blank_end] on the subject of [blank_start]morals[blank_end] must fulfill the requirements of utility in a [blank_start]supreme[blank_end] degree." - [blank_start]Mill[blank_end]

Higher and Lower [blank_start]Pleasures[blank_end]: "It is better to be a [blank_start]human being[blank_end] dissatisfied than a [blank_start]pig[blank_end] satisfied; better to be [blank_start]Socrates[blank_end] dissatisfied than a [blank_start]fool[blank_end] satisfied." - Mill

Bentham's Act Utilitarianism: "[blank_start]swinish doctrine[blank_end]" - [blank_start]Mill[blank_end]

"The philosopher who is a halfhearted [blank_start]sensualist[blank_end] cannot estimate the attractions of a [blank_start]debauched[blank_end] existence, any more than the sensualist flicking through the pages of [blank_start]Hume[blank_end] can estimate the [blank_start]pleasure[blank_end] of philosophy." - [blank_start]Alan[blank_end] Ryan (19[blank_start]71[blank_end])

'[Speech in Favour of] [blank_start]Capital[blank_end] Punishment' > "[blank_start]incarcerated[blank_end] in a [blank_start]living tomb[blank_end]" - Mill - House of Commons - 21 April [blank_start]1868[blank_end]

(Capital Punishment supported by Bible) - Leviticus [blank_start]24:17[blank_end]: " [...] whoever takes a [blank_start]human[blank_end] life shall surely be put to [blank_start]death[blank_end]." - Exodus [blank_start]20:13[blank_end]: "You shall not [blank_start]murder[blank_end]." (Mark 10:19)

"The end may [blank_start]justify the means[blank_end] as long as there is something that justifies the end." - Leon [blank_start]Trotsky[blank_end] (Their Morals and Ours - 19[blank_start]38[blank_end])

"This other version [...] judges actions [...] by the extent to which they accord with the [blank_start]preference[blank_end] of any [blank_start]beings[blank_end] affected by the action or its [blank_start]consequences[blank_end]." - Singer

"An action contrary to the [blank_start]preference[blank_end] of any being, unless this [...] is outweighed by [blank_start]contrary[blank_end] preferences, wrong. Killing a person who prefers to continue [blank_start]living[blank_end] is therefore wrong, other things being [blank_start]equal[blank_end]." - [blank_start]Singer[blank_end]

"Choose the course of action which brings the best [blank_start]consequences[blank_end], on balance, for [blank_start]all[blank_end] affected." - Singer

"Since neither a [blank_start]newborn[blank_end] infant nor a fish is a [blank_start]person[blank_end], the wrongness of killing such [blank_start]beings[blank_end] is not as great as the wrongness of killing a person." - Singer

"The self-[blank_start]indulgent[blank_end] man craves for all [blank_start]pleasant[blank_end] things [...] and is led by his [blank_start]appetite[blank_end] to choose these at the [blank_start]cost[blank_end] of [blank_start]everything[blank_end] else." - Aristotle (NE) (Criticism of [blank_start]Hedonism[blank_end])

"One [blank_start]day[blank_end] or [blank_start]brief[blank_end] [blank_start]time[blank_end] of happiness does not make a person [blank_start]entirely[blank_end] [blank_start]happy[blank_end]." - Aristotle (NE)