The Limits of utilitarianism / edited by Harlan B. Miller and William H. Williams.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Miller, Harlan B.

Williams, William H. (William Hatton), 1934-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Utilitarianism.

Physical Description:

x, 315 p.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press, c1982.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The Limits of Utilitarianism was first published in 1982. Minnesota Archive Editions uses digital technology to make long-unavailable books once again accessible, and are published unaltered from the original University of Minnesota Press editions. Many philosophers have argued that utilitarianism is an unacceptable moral theory and that promoting the general welfare is at best only one of the legitimate goals of public policy. Utilitarian principles seem to place no limits on the extent to which society may legitimately interfere with a person's liberties - provided that such actions can be shown to promote the long-term welfare of its members. These issues have played a central role in discussions of utilitarianism since the time of Bentham and Mill. Despite criticisms, utilitarianism remains the most influential and widely accepted moral theory of recent times. In this volume contemporary philosophers address four aspects of utilitarianism: the principle of utility; utilitarianism vis-à-vis contractarianism; welfare; and voluntary cooperation and helping others. The editors provide an introduction and a comprehensive bibliography that covers all books and articles published in utilitarianism since 1930.

Contents:

Intro

Contents

Preface and Acknowledgments

Introduction

Section I: The Principle of Utility

1 Mill's "Proof' of the Principle of Utility

2 Egalitarianism and the General Happiness

3 Benevolence and Justice in Mill

4 Inchoately Utilitarian Common Sense: The Bearing of a Thesis of Sidgwick's on Moral Theory

5 Utilitarianism and Unconscious Utilitarianism

Section II: Utilitarianism and Contractarianism

6 Utilitarianism and Contractarianism

7 Fairness to "Justice as Fairness

8 Rawls and Utilitarianism

9 On the Refutation of Utilitarianism

Section III: Welfare

10 Two Concepts of Utility

11 Self-Interest and Getting What You Want

12 Human Welfare: What It Is Not

Section IV: Utilitarianism and the Moral Community

13 Benevolence, Collective Action, and the Provision of Public Goods

14 The Free-Rider Problem

15 Utilitarianism and Aiding Others

16 Utilitarianism and World Poverty

Bibliography

Index

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y.

Notes:

Includes index.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 255-299) and index.

ISBN:

0-8166-1047-9

OCLC:

233578170