What does "utilitarianism" mean?
Utilitarianism: The doctrine that virtue is founded in utility, or that virtue is defined and enforced by its tendency to promote the highest happiness of the universe. J. S. Mill.
Additional senses
- 2.The doctrine that utility is the sole standard of morality, so that the rectitude of an action is determined by its usefulness.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00