Utilitarianism: For and AgainstTwo essays on utilitarianism, written from opposite points of view, by J. J. C. Smart and Bernard Williams. In the first part of the book Professor Smart advocates a modern and sophisticated version of classical utilitarianism; he tries to formulate a consistent and persuasive elaboration of the doctrine that the rightness and wrongness of actions is determined solely by their consequences, and in particular their consequences for the sum total of human happiness. In Part II Bernard Williams offers a sustained and vigorous critique of utilitarian assumptions, arguments and ideals. He finds inadequate the theory of action implied by utilitarianism, and he argues that utilitarianism fails to engage at a serious level with the real problems of moral and political philosophy, and fails to make sense of notions such as integrity, or even human happiness itself. This book should be of interest to welfare economists, political scientists and decision-theorists. |
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User Review - reganrule - LibraryThingNeat little volume, read primarily for Bernard Williams' argument against direct utilitarianism. Briefly, B. Willies argues that because direct (act) utilitarianism can in fact incorporate rules of ... Read full review
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User Review - LisaMaria_C - LibraryThingThis slim book was assigned reading in a philosophy course on ethics I took in college. It consists of two essays. J. J. Smart's "An Outline of a System of Utilitarian Ethics" and Bernard William's "A ... Read full review
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accept act-utilitarian action actual affairs agent agree already alternative answer appeal argument arise attitude better calculation called choice clear commitments concerned consequences consequentialism consider considerations consists contented course decide decision desirable direct discussion distinction effect electrode enjoy ethics evaluation example extent fact feelings follow future give given happiness human idea important interests intrinsic involved issue kind lead least less London matter maximizing means merely method mind moral nature negative notion objection once one's outcome particular perhaps person Philosophical pleasure point of view position possible practical preferences present principle probability problem produce projects promise question R. M. Hare rational reason regard relation reply respect rule rule-utilitarianism seems sense situation Smart social society sort suggested suppose tarianism theory things thought tion ultimate University Press utili utilitarian utility various wrong
Popular passages
Page 53 - For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse the rider was lost; for want of a rider, the battle was lost ; for the want of a battle, the Kingdom was lost; and all for the want of a horseshoe nail !" The same sort of story might be written about physical defects.
Page 9 - Act only on that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law', which he restates a few sentences later as.
Page 53 - ... for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost...
Page 99 - A feature of utilitarianism is that it cuts out a kind of consideration which for some others makes a difference to what they feel about such cases: a consideration involving the idea, as we might first and very simply put it, that each of us is specially responsible for what he does, rather than for what other people do.
Page 112 - Utilitarianism would do well then to acknowledge the evident fact that among the things that make people happy is not only making other people happy, but being taken up or involved in any of a vast range of projects, or — if we waive the evangelical and moralizing associations of the word — commitments. One can be committed to such things as a person, a cause, an institution, a career, one's own genius, or the pursuit of danger.
Page 149 - Simple-mindedness consists in having too few thoughts and feelings to match the world as it really is.
Page 95 - ... if I am ever responsible for anything, then I must be just as much responsible for things that I allow or fail to prevent, as I am for things that I myself, in the more everyday restricted sense, bring about.
Page 118 - ... of utilities, nor yet merely adding them in — but in the first instance of trying to understand them. Of course, time and circumstances are unlikely to make a grounded decision, in Jim's case at least, possible. It might not even be decent. Instead of thinking in a rational and systematic way either about utilities or about the value of human life, the relevance of the people at risk being present, and so forth, the presence of the people at risk may just have its effect. The significance of...
Page 51 - For, as we have before observed, it is not necessary that the end which gives the criterion of rightness should always be the end at which we consciously aim: and if experience shows that the general happiness will be more satisfactorily attained if men frequently act from other motives than pure universal philanthropy, it is obvious that these other motives are reasonably to be preferred on Utilitarian principles.
Bibliographic information
| Title | Utilitarianism: For and Against |
| Authors | J. J. C. Smart, Bernard Williams |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press, 1973 |
| ISBN | 052109822X, 9780521098229 |
| Length | 155 pages |
| Subjects | › Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy Philosophy / Political |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |