Guybrush

Hey there banterers. Philosophy is part of the title of this forum, so I thought it might be interesting to talk some moral philosophy. Are there any utilitarians among you?

Out of the moral philosophies, it is the one that has resonated the most with me. If you don't know what it is, it is basically a moral theory that says actions that result in increased happiness and/or reduced pain/suffering are morally preferable.

There are various formulations of this principle, but generally utilitarianism is more concerned with good consequences (in terms of happiness/pain) than it is with specific dos and donts.

A couple of caveats for myself:

• I don't think moral theories need to guide us in every common, everyday moral situation. For good or bad, we have a moral compass, a gut feeling, and people generally follow that. To expect people to not act like this is futile. We mostly need moral theories when we are confronted with moral dilemmas that nature and nurture has not equipped us to deal with and where we are morally unsure.
• When it comes to societal issues, I tend to adjust the utilitarian principle accordingly: The best decision is the one that promotes quality of life for people in the long run.

Many criticize utilitarianism, but I believe we often follow it when push comes to shove. For example, we might not like the idea of placing different worth on the lives of people, yet we might still prefer the death of a sick old person to one young and healthy.

So whatcha think?

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