Who originated the philosophy of 'Utilitarianism'?
Utilitarianism medieval world, like the state consequentialism of Mohism or the political philosophy of Niccolò Machiavelli. Mohist consequentialism advocated communitarian moral goods including political stability, population growth, and wealth, but did not support the utilitarian notion of maximizing individual happiness. Machiavelli was also an exponent of consequentialism. He believed that the actions of a state, however cruel or ruthless they may be, must contribute towards the common good of a society. Utilitarianism as a distinct ethical position only emerged in the eighteenth century. Although utilitarianism is usually thought to start with Jeremy Bentham, there were earlier writers who presented theories that
Utilitarianism (book) Largely owing to Mill, utilitarianism rapidly became the dominant ethical theory in Anglo-American philosophy. Though few contemporary ethicists today would agree with all elements of Mill's hedonistic moral philosophy, utilitarianism remains a live option in ethical theory today. Utilitarianism (book) John Stuart Mill's book Utilitarianism is a classic exposition and defence of utilitarianism in ethics. The essay first appeared as a series of three articles published in "Fraser's Magazine" in 1861; the articles were collected and reprinted as a single book in 1863. Mill's aim in the book is to explain what utilitarianism is, to show why it is the