Single Idea 20588

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 4. Social Utilitarianism]

Full Idea

Sidgwick's complex version of utilitarianism urges that institutions should be set in place to maximise utility, but that individual actions people undertake might not appear to be justifiable on utilitarian terms.

Gist of Idea

Sidwick argues for utilitarian institutions, rather than actions

Source

report of Henry Sidgwick (The Methods of Ethics (7th edn) [1874]) by Tuckness,A/Wolf,C - This is Political Philosophy 1 Refs

Book Reference

Tuckness,A / Wolf,C: 'This is Political Philosophy' [Wiley Blackwell 2017], p.29


A Reaction

This seems to be a specifically political version of utilitarianism, but isn't cited much by political philosophers who discuss utilitarianism.