36quotes

Quotes about utilitarianism

Utilitarianism, a philosophical concept rooted in the pursuit of the greatest good for the greatest number, offers a compelling lens through which to view ethical decision-making. This principle, often associated with the idea of maximizing happiness and minimizing suffering, challenges us to consider the broader impact of our actions on society. At its core, utilitarianism encourages a pragmatic approach to morality, urging individuals to weigh the consequences of their choices in terms of overall well-being. People are drawn to quotes about utilitarianism because they encapsulate the essence of balancing personal desires with the collective welfare, prompting introspection and debate about what it means to live a good life. These quotes often resonate with those seeking guidance on ethical dilemmas, as they provide succinct insights into the complexities of human behavior and the moral imperatives that drive us. By exploring the nuances of utilitarian thought, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of how their actions contribute to the tapestry of human experience, fostering a sense of responsibility and interconnectedness in an increasingly complex world.

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Utilitarianism: If we Britiash were Utilitarians we would have to believe that imprisoning the innocent and torturing suspects was justified if the Home Secretary thought it a good thing for our peace of mind.
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There are some things so useless it is impossible to live without them.
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The reaction against utilitarianism was a second romanticism, in which the fight against social injustice and the opposition to the actual theories of the "dismal science" played a much smaller part than the urge to escape from the present, whose problems the anti-utilitarians had no ability and no desire to solve, into the irrarionalism of Burke, Coleridge, and German romanticism.
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I do not care about the greatest good for the greatest number . . . Most people are poop-heads I do not care about them at all.
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The utilitarian behaves sensibly in all that is required for preservation but never takes account of the fact that he must die...His whole life is absorbed in avoiding death, which is inevitable, and therefore he might be thought to be the most irrational of men, if rationality has anything to do with understanding ends or comprehending the human situation as such. He gives way without reserve to his most powerful passion and the wishes it engenders.
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If we reason that we want happiness for others, not for ourselves, then we ought justly to be suspected of failing to recognize human nature for what it is and of wishing to turn men into machines.
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In a world in which there is so much to interest, so much to enjoy, and so much also to correct and improve, everyone who has this moderate amount of moral and intellectual requisites is capable of an existence which may be called enviable; and unless such a person, through bad laws, or subjection to the will of others, is denied the liberty to use the sources of happiness within his reach, he will not fail to find the enviable existence
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They will tell you you're useless, if they can't use you.
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To reduce poetry to its reflections of historical events and movements would be like reducing the poet's words to their logical or grammatical connotations.
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Divine worship means the same thing where time is concerned, as the temple where space is concerned. "Temple" means... that a particular piece of ground is specially reserved, and marked off from the remainder of the land which is used either for agriculture or habitation... Similarly in divine worship a certain definite space of time is set aside from working hours and days... and like the space allotted to the temple, is not used, is withdrawn from all merely utilitarian ends.
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