COROS, ELSA C.

BSEE 1-4

UTILITARIANISM

Based on what I have comprehended, utilitarianism comes from the Latin word “utilis”
meaning useful. Jeremy Bentham is the founder of utilitarianism; he is considered the father
of utilitarianism. He describes it as the “greatest happiness principle.” After Bentham, John
Stuart Mill continued to study and write about utilitarianism where he combined economics
and philosophy. 

When we say utilitarianism, it is a moral philosophy that favors activities that promote
happiness or pleasure while opposing actions that cause pain or discomfort. Utilitarianism
asserts that it is a virtue to improve one's life by focusing on the positive aspects of life while
reducing the negative aspects. It is pursuing pleasure and happiness while avoiding
suffering or dissatisfaction. The principle of utilitarianism states that actions are right and
only right if the consequences maximize whatever is good or anything that is "bad."
Happiness is the only thing that is good in society. And actions are only correct if they
maximize the pleasure of the vast majority of people. The famous line “the end justifies the
means” is related to utilitarianism. It means that even if you do wrong you might get an
excuse if the outcome or goal is good. An example of this is when you steal money from rich
people and use the money to feed poor people, just like Robin Hood does. He uses the
utilitarian approach because what he is doing is wrong but did that for the happiness of
others.  

A person who believes and practices the teaching of utilitarianism is called a

utilitarian they adhere to utilitarianism principles. These people are now labeled as cold and
calculating, practical, and perhaps selfish because they sometimes seek their pleasure at
the price of the greater good. There are advantages and disadvantages of utilitarianism. Its
major advantage is its focus on the happiness of the people in the society. While its major
advantage is its lack of justice. It may require us to violate justice standards seeking
pleasure. Whether you believe or not in utilitarianism, respect for others’ rights is a must.