Ethics: On the Suspicion That Utilitarianism Is Failing Us

Published on Jun 7, 2025, filed under philosophy (feed). (Share this on Mastodon or Bluesky?)

Utilitarianism is the ethical theory that prioritizes actions that “lead to the greatest good for the greatest number” of people (Wikipedia), that is, “the view that the morally right action is the action that produces the most good” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy).

It sounds great, but popular as it is, I believe this kind of ethics has been failing us. ^*

The problem is this:

Utilitarianism looks inclusive and binding, but in reality, it is neither. It is typically coming off as being something optional about others.

“The greatest good for the greatest number” doesn’t need to and doesn’t usually mean you or me. So while we may agree with a utilitarian idea, it may, and I say does, feel disconnected from us.

Let’s look at an example from another ethical perspective, ethics of responsibility. ^†

With ethics of responsibility, ethical conduct includes and relies on everyone. Anyone who hurts someone or damages something, is responsible and must take responsibility.

I believe this is huge, and all that needs saying here:

There are various ways to think of ethical and moral conduct (which is useful to be clear about), but ethics that abstractly point elsewhere do not serve us.

We need ethics that definitely and affirmatively link ourselves and our conduct to the world around us.

This is why I think utilitarianism, though a valid idea, doesn’t work well—and ethics of responsibility, as one school of thought, works more effectively.

^* These are still two assumptions: Utilitarianism is popular, and it’s failing.

^† This is the best resource I could find, but it’s still not a sufficient one to me. What I connect with ethics of responsibility is what I learned at university: a school popularized by Max Weber that is “for normal people,” “brings goals and consequences in balance,” an “ethics of action,” and, most importantly, one that takes “responsibility for the future” (which I would not leave there, but also extend to the past and the present).

About Me

I’m Jens (long: Jens Oliver Meiert), and I’m a web developer, manager, and author. I’ve been working as a technical lead and engineering manager for companies you’ve never heard of and companies you use every day, I’m an occasional contributor to web standards (like HTML, CSS, WCAG), and I write and review books for O’Reilly and Frontend Dogma.

I love trying things, not only in web development and engineering management, but also in other areas like philosophy. Here on meiert.com I share some of my experiences and views. (I value you being critical, interpreting charitably, and giving feedback.)