What is Utilitarianism? Kwame Anthony Appiah for the Royal Institute of Philosophy

The Royal Institute of Philosophy's 15-Minute Masterclass series brings you accessible overviews of 30 philosophical topics from eminent philosophers.

These videos follow the A-Level Philosophy curriculum and are therefore perfect for anyone studying A-Level Philosophy.

In this video, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Lecturer in Philosophy at New York University, provides an overview of utilitarianism.

[jamaicaigot]

loved this! are you on audea? most of my audio is consumed there, and would appreciate the audio version of your content on that platform!

[ioanmariandanila]

Therefore, we turn back to Judaism or Christianity? To argue that consequentialism is bad because to murder is bad even if it would make people happy means to have a very narrow and literary understanding of consequentialism. Justice is a value that makes us happy. Or at least injustice makes us unhappy. Each just individual has the right to live or to die. There are acts, rules, and values that make us immediately or finally happy or unhappy. Our moral ideas are very complex, composed, mixed, but that doesn't mean that we turn back to dogmatism, that is to a morality which is above any discussion and modification, eternal, given by antique shepherds and carpenters who do not like philosophy and argumentation, and who do not give place for advancement. Nothing is good without a sufficient reason, just...