5 quotes
We can summarize utilitarianism thus: Happiness is what matters, and everyone's happiness counts the same. This doesn't mean that everyone gets to be equally happy, but it does mean that no one's happiness is inherently more valuable than anyone else's.
Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them (2013)
Utilitarianism is a great idea with an awful name. It is, in my opinion, the most underrated and misunderstood idea in all of moral and political philosophy.
Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them (2013)
Utilitarianism is a very egalitarian philosophy, asking the haves to do a lot for the have-nots. Were you to wake up tomorrow as a born-again utilitarian, the biggest change in your life would be your newfound devotion to helping unfortunate others.
Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them (2013)
We have no non-question-begging way of figuring out who has which rights and which rights outweigh others. (...) When we appeal to rights, we're not making an argument; we're declaring that the argument is over.
The utilitarian argument for giving is straightforward: Going skiing instead of camping (or whatever) may increase your happiness, but it's nothing compared with the increase in happiness that a poor African child gains from clean water, food, and shelter. (...) Thus, says utilitarianism, you should spend that money helping desperately needy people rather than on luxuries for yourself.
Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them (2013)