Question

What is the Principle of Utility (a.k.a., the Greatest Happiness Principle)? How would one use this principle to judge whether some action was morally right?

Answer 1

The Principle of Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle, states that actions are considered morally right if they promote happiness for the greatest number of people. To judge an action's moral rightness, one must assess its impact on the happiness of the majority. The action that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number is deemed morally right.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Principle of Utility, also known as the Greatest Happiness Principle, is a moral principle that states actions are right in proportion to how much they promote happiness and wrong when they lead to unhappiness or pain. It was developed by philosophers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. To judge whether an action is morally right using this principle, one would need to assess the impact of the action on the happiness of the greatest number of people. The action that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number would be considered morally right.