Adithan Arunachalam shares some insight on Utilitarianism in The Modern Context
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Utilitarianism is a theory or philosophy of morality and ethics which says that human actions should be geared toward fostering societal pleasure and happines. Actions that are contrary to societal happiness or are highly likely to harm society should thus be strongly frowned upon. Although it is one of the oldest moral and ethical philosophies, utilitarianism is still useful today. It seems particularly relevant in the 21st century because its focus on maximizing happiness holds up a mirror to a generation that eagerly pursues happiness, often in a material sense.
Additionally, utilitarianism has become an important guiding principle for 21st-century policymakers. Policymakers usually determine the extent to which a policy decision will benefit the most number of people. Similarly, when laws are being debated in Congress, a key consideration for most lawmakers is the consequence of that action or policy on public well-being and happiness. Utilitarian ideas are often behind laws and regulations that seek to reduce income inequality or promote social welfare.
It is essential to assess utilitarianism’s origins to discuss its modern impact. The theory of utilitarianism started gaining ground in the 18th century. However, it was not until the 19th century that utilitarianism became formally espoused. Philosophers like Jeremy Bentham contributed to establishing the theory of utilitarianism, and Bentham is usually regarded as the “father of utilitarianism.”
In his book, “An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation,” Bentham argued that the only way to determine just or acceptable action is to calculate its propensity to ensure happiness and forestall suffering. He called this “utility.” According to Bentham, an action is right if it results in a great amount of happiness for many people within the society. Thus, over time, the utilitarian theory was nicknamed the “greatest happiness principle.” In addition to Jeremy Bentham, scholars like Henry Sidgwick and John Stuart Mill contributed to the popularization of utilitarianism. While other scholars have argued that utilitarianism sacrifices equality and justice to ensure the happiness of a significant portion of society, utilitarianism remains a key part of modern policy formulation.
While utilitarianism seems simple and straightforward, its application today might seem complicated. For instance, regarding matters relating to the environment, a policy that seeks to promote sustainable use of environmental resources may not yield any form of utility to major sections of the population in the short term. However, in the long term, sustainable policies have been proven to improve the overall quality of life of the people.
Today, utilitarianism is at the core of ensuring inclusiveness and the provision of social welfare by the government. Utilitarianism has pushed governments worldwide to prioritize the well-being of the people, providing access to healthcare and education to people that they govern regardless of their social standing.
Another major criticism of utilitarianism is that it does not consider the intrinsic value of things; rather, it only concerns itself with the seeming value they provide. For instance, to ensure climate sustainability, it might be best to regulate the use of single-use plastics; utilitarianism might consider the immediate economic implications of such regulations and the “ease” that a major aspect of the population gets from using single-use plastic rather than the long-term intrinsic value and environmental impact of regulating the use of single-use plastic.