Utilitarianism

The entry offers a historical overview and a theoretical discussion of the main features of the utilitarian approach to ethics and their relevance for the contemporary bioethical debate. Despite having a well-recognizable philosophical nucleus (the emphasis on the promotion of well-being, a teleological theory of the good in terms of pleasure or preference satisfaction, the distrust for any appeal to moral absolutes), utilitarianism greatly differs in its various versions and formulations. This entry aims at presenting this common nucleus as well as the lively debate internal to utilitarianism. After sketching a historical overview of the origins and developments of utilitarianism from the late eighteenth century up to the present day, the entry will survey some of the utilitarian analyses and solutions to bioethical problems and dilemmas.