utilitarianism
noun/juˌtɪlɪˈtɛriənɪzəm/
Frequency rank: #19,234 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)
Meaning
The ethical theory that the best action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or well-being for the greatest number of people.
Example sentence
The philosopher defended utilitarianism by arguing that actions should be judged by the greatest happiness they produce for the greatest number of people.
Synonyms & related words
- consequentialism
- pragmatism
- hedonism
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