The hottest Utilitarianism Substack posts right now

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The elusive concept of happiness

The Pursuit of Happiness • 659 implied HN points • 01 Sep 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Happiness Neoliberalism Utilitarianism Political theory
  1. Happiness matters most in life. Without happiness, everything else seems meaningless.
  2. The pursuit of happiness is an important idea from history, reminding us that the journey to a good life is often more meaningful than simply trying to be happy.
  3. An expansive view of happiness includes kindness and virtues, suggesting that helping others can actually enhance your own happiness.

What Does “exploit” Mean?

David Friedman’s Substack • 287 implied HN points • 05 Feb 25
📖 Philosophy Ethics Morality Utilitarianism Economics Social justice
  1. The term 'exploit' can mean two different things: benefiting from an interaction or causing one party to lose while the other gains. It's important to differentiate these meanings to understand whether exploitation is actually happening.
  2. In some cases, people feel that exploitation occurs when there is a big difference in gains between two parties, like in the example of trading cards or water in the desert. However, the fairness of a transaction can depend on additional context.
  3. People may have strong feelings about what is fair or unfair in transactions based on their moral intuitions. These feelings can guide opinions about exploitation, even when the actual economic circumstances suggest a different view.

Why I Ran Away from Philosophy Because of Sam Bankman-Fried

The Honest Broker • 26862 implied HN points • 04 Nov 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Academia Logic Utilitarianism
  1. The philosophy of Effective Altruism may prioritize long-term consequences over immediate actions, leading to risky ethical decisions.
  2. Analytic philosophy, specifically of the Anglo-American variety, can promote perspectives that prioritize maximizing pleasure, potentially leading to damaging outcomes.
  3. Beware of philosophical systems that justify harmful actions by focusing on a 'larger context' and be cautious of practitioners who calculate consequences before performing acts of kindness or generosity.

I Am Paying Reparations to the Shrimp

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 4096 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Animal Rights Utilitarianism Debate Charity
  1. It's important to think about the impact of our food choices on animals, like shrimp, and consider ethical options.
  2. Donating to animal welfare projects can help make a positive change and relieve some guilt about eating certain foods.
  3. Finding a balance between personal enjoyment and ethical responsibility can be tough, but small actions, like donating money, can make a difference.

Less Utilitarian Than Thou

Astral Codex Ten • 14522 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Utilitarianism Morality Tradeoffs Society
  1. Some actions considered acceptable by many are questioned by those who identify as utilitarian or consequentialist, highlighting differing moral perspectives.
  2. Utilitarians may advocate for policies that involve sacrificing or compromising certain ethical norms for the greater good, whereas non-utilitarians may not view these actions in the same light.
  3. The perception of utilitarians being more willing to do harm for the greater good may stem from the discomfort with the idea of calculating morality and the juxtaposition of sacred values with utilitarian reasoning.
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The Best Charity Isn't What You Think

Fake Noûs • 259 implied HN points • 07 Dec 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Utilitarianism Animal Rights Effective Altruism Moral Philosophy
  1. Helping shrimp can be much more effective than trying to save humans or other animals. Just one dollar can save around 1,600 shrimp from a painful death every year, which is a huge impact for a small amount.
  2. Many people don't realize that shrimp can suffer, but research shows they experience pain similar to other animals. This means their suffering matters too, and we should consider it when thinking about doing good.
  3. The shrimp welfare project is underfunded but incredibly effective. Supporting it can make a big difference in preventing animal suffering while costing very little.

For Pushing Large Men Off Bridges

Fake Noûs • 271 implied HN points • 23 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Utilitarianism Moral dilemmas Critical Thinking
  1. Utilitarianism suggests that we should act in ways that maximize overall happiness. This means if you can save five people by sacrificing one, it might seem like the right choice to push the one off the bridge.
  2. Some arguments challenge the idea of not pushing someone off the bridge. For example, if pushing them means saving more lives, it may not be wrong to do so.
  3. The concept of 'undoing' actions also plays a role. If you push a person off the bridge but can pull them back before harm is done, it challenges whether that initial push was truly wrong.

Scott Alexander's "Prison And Crime: Much More Than You Wanted To Know": My Thoughts

Philosophy bear • 200 implied HN points • 28 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Utilitarianism Justice Public Policy Social Issues
  1. Prison doesn't seem to effectively reduce crime overall. Instead, we should consider reducing incarceration since it often causes more harm than good.
  2. The costs of imprisonment go beyond just the economic side. They include suffering for prisoners and their families, and even increased crime within prisons.
  3. Even if people feel good about tough on crime policies, a cost-benefit analysis suggests that it's better to invest resources into alternatives to prison that can lead to safer communities.

The aim of maximising happiness is doomed to fail as a public policy

Optimally Irrational • 79 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
📖 Philosophy Utilitarianism Happiness Public Policy Ethics Cognitive Science
  1. Aiming to make everyone happy through public policy might not work. Happiness is not a simple thing that can just be increased.
  2. People adapt to their situations quickly, which means that any increase in happiness usually fades back to a normal level. This makes it hard to keep happiness growing over time.
  3. Happiness is often more about feeling good in the moment than about long-term goals. People might even choose challenging paths because they bring deeper satisfaction, rather than just chasing fleeting feelings of joy.

Peter Singer, Palestine, and the Professional Perils of Philosophy (UNLOCKED)

Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis • 818 implied HN points • 22 Oct 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Political Philosophy Utilitarianism Power Dynamics
  1. Approaching current events with only moral intuitions and mainstream opinions can lead to misguided analysis.
  2. Philosophical training in argument analysis needs to be supplemented with a robust understanding of the real world dynamics of power and violence for accurate interpretation.
  3. Relying solely on moral intuitions and mainstream sources for analysis of complex issues like conflict in Palestine can lead to embarrassing misunderstandings and oversimplifications.

How to Be a Leftist Without Being a Utilitarian or a Free Will Skeptic (UNLOCKED)

Philosophy for the People w/Ben Burgis • 259 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Free will Justice Meritocracy Utilitarianism
  1. Rejecting free will or embracing utilitarianism is like burning down your house to kill a fly.
  2. Meritocracy doesn't justify extreme inequality; our society isn't a true meritocracy.
  3. Belief in moral rights maintains dignity and autonomy and challenges market-worshippers for a fairer society.

The case for narrow utilitarianism

inexactscience • 99 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Utilitarianism Critical Thinking Decision-making Moral Philosophy
  1. Utilitarianism is about making choices that increase overall well-being and treats everyone equally. It's a way of thinking that encourages using data and math to improve lives.
  2. While utilitarianism sounds good, taking it too far can lead to poor decisions and people justifying bad behavior. It's important to recognize our own biases and limits.
  3. Narrow utilitarianism suggests we apply these ideas only in clear situations where we understand the problems well. It's better to stay focused and cautious rather than trying to force comparisons between very different choices.

The State

Fake Noûs • 342 implied HN points • 20 May 23
📖 Philosophy Authority Utilitarianism Fairness Social contract Anarchism
  1. The problem of authority in political philosophy questions the basis for political legitimacy and obligation.
  2. The Utilitarian Account suggests the state's authority comes from providing social order, but doesn't explain unnecessary laws.
  3. Anarchism challenges the notion of state authority, advocating for minimal coercive activities and privatization of necessary government functions.

A general argument for the left

Philosophy bear • 85 implied HN points • 24 Aug 23
📖 Philosophy Political Ideologies Ethics Social Issues Utilitarianism
  1. The main challenge is the significant polarization in politics, raising a question of reliability of conflicting propositions from different sides.
  2. Historically, movements favoring the weak have been vindicated, indicating a common theme of standing up for underdogs.
  3. Utilitarian perspective suggests prioritizing the needs of the weak over the strong for a greater good.

Useful Utility: Accounting for Taste (Part 2)

reedmolbak • 19 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Morality Taste Consequentialism Utilitarianism
  1. Moral philosophy can be based on individual tastes rather than universal principles, leading to ethical decisions rooted in personal preferences.
  2. Conflicts in tastes are common, and ethical choices involve recognizing and balancing personal preferences, whether altruistic or self-centered.
  3. Utilitarianism suggests evaluating and prioritizing individual tastes to make decisions that best satisfy personal desires and goals.

Useful Utility: Consequences (Part 1)

reedmolbak • 19 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Decision-making Consequentialism Utilitarianism
  1. Consequentialism focuses on the outcomes of actions rather than the actions themselves
  2. Utilitarianism's core concept is that decisions should be made based on consequences and what's best for achieving goals
  3. Ethical decisions often benefit from using a consequentialist approach, considering outcomes and consequences over abstract ethical theories

Utilitarian Naturalism

Mon0’s Substack • 19 implied HN points • 23 May 23
📖 Philosophy Ethics Metaphysics Epistemology Naturalism Utilitarianism Science
  1. Utilitarian naturalism focuses on achieving the greatest good for the most people. It's about making choices that improve overall happiness.
  2. This approach emphasizes the importance of understanding our natural world and using that knowledge to make better decisions.
  3. By combining practical benefits with a naturalistic outlook, we can create a more ethical and fulfilling life for everyone.

Steelmanning Anti-Utilitarianism

Superb Owl • 1 HN point • 04 Mar 24
📖 Philosophy Ethics Utilitarianism Morality Mathematics
  1. Quantifying morality through Utilitarianism can be limiting, as it may lead to extremist views and overlook other sources of moral guidance.
  2. Trying to quantify morality using mathematical frameworks can obscure the complexity of human well-being and lead to oversimplified moral judgements.
  3. Mathematizing ethics can allow for biases to be disguised as objective truths, potentially leading individuals to act against their own moral compass.