Are there any utilitarianists/consequentialists out there?
What are the arguments that you find most convincing?
I personally feel like utilitarianism misses the point of ethics a bit, focusing too much on the (possible) consequences than the actions themselves.
But I don't have a particularly well-thought out view.
Looking for a mild discussion maybe, thought I'd try short-message social media for friendly debating. Could be insane.
the first book i bought in an actual bookshop is #Soetsu Yanagi’s utilitarian book “ the beauty of everyday things…” (i’m tempted to say mastetpiece but these terms are forbidden) #utilitarianism #philosophy
We ought to consider, what is the end of government, before we determine which is the best form. Upon this point all speculative politicians will agree, that the happiness of society is the end of government, as all Divines and moral Philosophers will agree that the happiness of the individual is the end of man. From this principle it will follow, that the form of government, which communicates ease, comfort, security, or in one word happiness to the greatest number of persons, and in the greatest degree, is the best.
John Adams (1735-1826) American lawyer, Founding Father, statesman, US President (1797-1801)
Letter (1776-04) to George Wythe, “Thoughts on Government”
Sourcing, notes: wist.info/adams-john/36226/
nonzerosum.games/reconcilinge... Are you a consequentialist? A virtue ethicist? Or a deontologist? Or perhaps even all three? (I am). This win-win-win combines different ethical measures, so we don't need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. #Philosophy #Ethics #Morality #Morals #Utilitarianism
AN ETHICAL WIN-WIN-WIN
𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑵𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒔: 𝑶𝒕𝒊𝒖𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑷𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓 - 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒎 𝑱𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔 -
Le Guin leans on an essay by William James, but what does that have to do with all our garden talk? It's about our blind spots and our privilege. We dig into the key question in James's essay and worry a bit.
https://waywordsstudio.com/podcasts/waywords_podcast/otium-and-the-moral-philosopher-william-james/
Spinoza, the Dialectic of Reason, and the Critique of Instrumental Rationality
#Spinoza is not a #critic of #reason, but its greatest defender: he anticipates the #DialecticOfReason (#Adorno & #Horkheimer) by advocating for an immanent, liberating, and joyful #rationality. Unlike Ayn #Rand’s view, he does not reject reason, but seeks to save it from #domination and #utilitarianism. #philosophy The critique of reason by Adorno and Horkheimer in the Dialectic of …
The key to enjoying Finnish summer is taking advantage of the moments of sunshine between the rain.
On a purely objective level, Finnish summer is shit. But nevertheless, Finns consistently score top 5 in metrics of happiest people in the world.
That’s where #utilitarianism goes wrong: It assumes external conditions as sole keys of #happiness.
There is a threshold of material needs of course, but beyond that it has more to do with applying your wits & humanity to whatever your context is!
and here's a pointer to a - maybe - broadly interesting current [paywallfree] discussion in #utilitas
#ethics #utilitarianism
#morality_by_degrees
taken from a #cup #philosophy newsletter
Technique, Utilitarian Rationality, and Emancipation: From Radical Critique to the Hope of Reappropriation
From #Nietzsche to #Stiegler, from #Adorno to #Illich: the critique of #UtilitarianTechnique runs through modern #philosophy. Can we reintegrate #technology into the social and democratic fabric, or must we see it as an irreformable #system of #domination? #Technique #Critique #Utilitarianism #Emancipation #Modernity @philosophy…
People do not trust artificial moral advisors (e.g., AI-powered systems), particularly if they are perceived as utilitarian, and even if they give the same advice as human moral advisors.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010027724003147
Into #Philosophy but Find It #Intimidating? Start here!
This #book tries to answer the #moral dilemmas we all grapple with through the lens of #deontology, #utilitarianism, #existentialism, #ubuntu, and more.
#philosophy #utilitarianism #newyorker #cartoon #flux
The text is mine, and the image is flux.
Why #Democracy is Mathematically Impossible
Utilitarianism calls for maximizing happiness and minimizing suffering. But at the higher levels, even game theory and the iterated prisoner's dilemma suggest opening with a benevolent gesture and then treating the other person how they treat you.
Ultra-cheap public transport or polluting fossil fuel combustion congestion?
Bellingen folks seem to subscribe to the 'more and wider roads now' and 'fix the potholes - yet again' paradigm.
Transport planning is done by white male engineers driven by utilitarian considerations alone. A tidy 'carpet to carpet mobility' is aimed for, eliminating the 'landscape' in between and the livable climate.
Cheap or free public transport (EV buses etc) would have no chance here with the old school fossil fuel mindsets of the 50s. They do that new fangled stuff overseas: free public transport across the whole country!
In this new mobilities paradigm "planners consider not just transport’s utility, but its associated “psychological and sociological and emotional aspects". In this way, transport becomes not just about achieving a purpose – like getting to work or the shops ... but becomes “a purpose in itself."
>>
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/11/the-best-50-cents-you-can-spend-queenslands-ultra-cheap-public-transport-fares-revitalise-travel-for-pleasure
#publicTransport #cars #Utilitarianism #FossilFuel #PublicBads #MobilityDesign #Bellingen #roads #mobility #PlaceMaking #health #BiodiversityCrisis #ClimateBreakdown
Existential Comics is great.
#economics #liberty #utilitarianism #liberalism
The Upbringing of John Stuart Mill - Existential Comics https://existentialcomics.com/comic/570
-- If God exists, is everything permitted? | Dr. Justin Mooney & Dr. Luis Oliveira --
(at Majesty of Reason)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i3Yk6qod3A
Hey #utilitarianism - copyright in the world rn is:
