Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that evaluates actions by their consequences, aiming to maximize overall happiness or welfare. It emphasizes the greatest good for the greatest number and weighs benefits against costs. As a philosophical doctrine, it guides moral decision-making and public policy considerations, often involving utilitarian calculations and principle of utility.
"The professor lectured on utilitarianism and its implications for public health policy."
"Some critics argue that utilitarianism neglects individual rights in favor of aggregate welfare."
"She debated how utilitarianism would assess environmental sacrifices for long-term gains."
"The book analyzes utilitarianism’s strengths and weaknesses in contemporary ethics."
Utilitarianism derives from the late 18th–early 19th century English term utilitarian, formed from the noun utility (from Latin utilis, meaning useful) with the suffix -arian, then -ism to denote a doctrine or ideology. The root utilis entered English via Latin from the verb uti (to use). The concept of utility as a measure of usefulness matured in 18th-century political economy and moral philosophy, with Jeremy Bentham popularizing the explicit doctrine in his works (notably An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, 1789). The term utilitarianism appears in the early 19th century to describe Benthamite philosophy, later expanded by John Stuart Mill who refined the theory and its application to individual rights and higher pleasures. Over time, utilitarianism has branched into act and rule variants and influenced liberal political theory, economics, and public policy. First known use is traced to Bentham’s circle; the exact first written occurrence is debated, but the label was in common scholarly use by the 1830s–1840s.
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Words that rhyme with "Utilitarianism"
-ism sounds
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US: /ˌjuːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəriənˌɪzəm/ or /ˌjuːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəriənɪzəm/; UK: /ˌjuːˌtɪlɪˈteəriənɪzəm/; AU: /ˌjuːˌtɪlɪˈtɛəriənɪzəm/. Break it as you-til-i-TA-ri-an-ism, with primary stress on the teər in most pronunciations. Tip: start with “you” + “til” as in utility, then glide to “itarian,” finishing with “-ism.” Audio reference: search for “Utilitarianism pronunciation” on Pronounce or Forvo to hear each accent.
Two major errors: misplacing the primary stress on the wrong syllable (often stressing -tari- or -ar-). Another error is merging syllables, producing a run-on /ˌjuːtɪlɪˈtɛərɪənɪzəm/ without clear breaks. Correction: practice slow, emphasize the -tæri- portion, then add -an- and -ism with light final /zəm/. Also treat ‘utili-’ as two syllables: /ˌjuː.tɪ.li/ and keep the soft /t/ before /eɪ/.
The word contains multiple syllables with a sequence of unstressed and stressed vowels (unstressed /juː/, /ɪ/, /ə/; stressed /ˈtɛə/ or /ˈteə/), plus an array of consonant clusters (/tɪl/ and /ˈeəriən/). The final -ism adds an extra syllable and a voiced /z/ before a syllabic /m/. Rapid speech can blur syllable boundaries, causing misplacement of the primary stress and vowel quality shifts. Practice breaking it into clear syllables and mapping tongue positions.
A distinctive feature is the long, mid-front vowel sequence in the -tari- portion and the secondary stress patterns in some speakers when saying -arian-, which can alter vowel length and quality. In careful speech, the sequence should be /-tɪli-ˈteəri-/ or /-tɪliˈteəriən/ depending on dialect, with attention to the /ˈeər/ or /ˈeə/ diphthong and the final /zəm/.
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