Final answer:
To truly be a utilitarianist, one must remain committed to the principle of utility, embody impartiality, and follow Rule Utilitarianism to consistently promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
Step-by-step explanation:
In order to truly be a utilitarianist, one must remain committed to the principle of utility throughout their life. This principle demands that actions are judged moral if they tend to promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number. As a utilitarian, you must consistently consider the overall well-being or happiness as the key measure of the rightness of actions, policies, or decisions, making choices that contribute to maximizing overall happiness and minimizing pain or unhappiness.
According to John Stuart Mill, impartiality is crucial for a utilitarian, which involves putting personal interests and biases aside to evaluate the consequences of actions on an equitable basis. This extends to government and society at large, suggesting that policies should be aimed at maximizing utility for the community. Additionally, Rule Utilitarianism suggests adopting rules that, if followed consistently, would yield the most utility in the long run.
Therefore, to truly embody utilitarianism, one must approach decisions and actions with a rational, informed, and unbiased viewpoint, always striving to achieve the greatest amount of happiness possible while adhering to the principle of utility as the primary guide for moral conduct.