utilitarianism

Advancedzipf 2.51

Pronunciation

/juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəriənɪzəm/(yoo-til-ih-TAIR-ee-un-iz-um)

Part of speech

nounformal/philosophy

Chinese

功利主义（以最大多数人的最大幸福为道德标准）

Definition

The ethical theory that the best action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or well-being for the greatest number of people.

Word family

  • utilitarian/juːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəriən/(adj/n)功利的/功利主义者

Collocations

  • utilitarian ethics
  • utilitarian calculus
  • utilitarian approach
  • act utilitarianism
  • rule utilitarianism

Examples

  1. 1.The trolley problem is a classic test of utilitarian thinking: should you sacrifice one person to save five? (greatest good for greatest number)
  2. 2.Utilitarian architecture prioritizes function over form — effective but often soulless. (practical, functional)

Synonyms

  • consequentialism/ˌkɒnsɪˈkwɛnʃəlɪzəm/— judging actions by outcomes — broader category that includes utilitarianism

Etymology

from Latin "utilis" (useful) — coined by Jeremy Bentham — the philosophy of usefulness