Single Idea 22407

[catalogued under 23. Ethics / E. Utilitarianism / 1. Utilitarianism]

Full Idea

Utilitarianism cannot hope to make sense, at any serious level, of integrity.

Gist of Idea

Utilitarianism cannot make any serious sense of integrity

Source

Bernard Williams (A Critique of Utilitarianism [1973], 1)

Book Reference

Smart,J./Williams,B.: 'Utilitarianism For and Against' [CUP 1978], p.82


A Reaction

There will be obvious problems with this. 'My whole platoon got killed, but looking on the bright side, I preserved my integrity'. Once a theory commits entirely to one value, it then has no way to make sense of rival values.