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Full Idea
The emphasis on the necessary comparability of situations is a peculiar feature of consequentialism in general.
Gist of Idea
Consequentialism assumes that situations can be compared
Source
Bernard Williams (A Critique of Utilitarianism [1973], 2)
Book Ref
Smart,J./Williams,B.: 'Utilitarianism For and Against' [CUP 1978], p.88
A Reaction
A nice point. Utilitarians might achieve comparison by totting up the happiness in each situation, but once you include the consequences of the consequences the problems are obvious. Was 1789 a good thing? Too early to say.
| 22407 | Utilitarianism cannot make any serious sense of integrity [Williams,B] |
| 22410 | Maybe the unthinkable is a moral category, and considering some options is dishonourable or absurd [Williams,B] |
| 22408 | Consequentialism assumes that situations can be compared [Williams,B] |
| 22411 | For a consequentialist massacring 7 million must be better than massacring 7 million and one [Williams,B] |
| 22409 | We don't have a duty to ensure that others do their duty [Williams,B] |