Just Better Utilitarianism

Area of Science:

• Moral Philosophy
• Political Theory
• Ethics

Background:

• Traditional utilitarianism faces challenges from counterexamples related to justice.
• Current discussions often focus on justice, obscuring other aspects of utilitarianism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-evaluate utilitarianism as a viable moral and political theory.
• To propose a non-aggregative, liberal form of utilitarianism immune to traditional objections.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of utilitarianism and consequentialism.
• Distinguishing between aggregative and non-aggregative ethical frameworks.
• Examining the implications of liberal utilitarianism for practical ethical dilemmas.

Main Results:

• A non-aggregative, liberal utilitarianism avoids the pitfalls of classical forms.
• This framework acknowledges limitations in resolving conflicts of basic needs.
• It supports actions benefiting nonhuman animals and mitigating climate change, justifying potential desire frustration.

Conclusions:

• Liberal utilitarianism presents a robust ethical theory distinct from aggregative consequentialism.
• The theory highlights that not all ethical dilemmas have universally accepted solutions.
• It provides a justification for prioritizing basic needs over mere desire satisfaction in certain cases.