Final answer:
Utilitarianism is a moral theory that aims to maximize happiness for the greatest number, not just about helping others. It considers the consequences of actions in terms of overall happiness, developed by thinkers like Bentham and Mill, and incorporates the Harm Principle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'The author's system of ethics is called utilitarianism because it tries to help others' is not entirely accurate. Utilitarianism, as a moral theory, is indeed concerned with the welfare of others, but it is defined more precisely by its goal of maximizing happiness or utility for the greatest number of people. The core principle, known as the Principle of Utility, suggests that an action is considered morally right if it leads to the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people, and wrong if it produces the opposite. It's not merely about helping others, but rather about the outcomes and consequences of actions in terms of overall happiness.
Philosophers such as Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill contributed to the development of this theory. Bentham introduced the concept that pleasure and pain are the main indicators of the value of an action, while Mill expanded the theory to account for qualitative differences in pleasures. Mill also added the Harm Principle to the utilitarian framework, which suggests that actions should only be restricted if they harm others. This was a significant development for the application of utilitarianism in government policy and law.
In essence, utilitarianism is a consequentialist approach that evaluates the morality of an action based on its outcomes or consequences with regards to happiness or utility, often described as 'the greatest happiness for the greatest number'. It is a complex ethic system that takes into account not only the well-being of individuals but the collective happiness of society.