utilitarian
made mainly to be useful, not pretty
Designed to be useful and functional rather than attractive, luxurious, or decorative.
about the idea that the best action helps most people
Relating to the ethical theory of utilitarianism, which judges actions by their consequences, aiming to produce the greatest overall good.
a person who believes in utilitarianism
A person who supports or follows utilitarianism as a moral theory.
- Base: utilitarian
- Base: utilitarian
- Plural: utilitarians
rule utilitarianism
1utilitarianism based on rules
a type of utilitarianism that follows rules that help most people
- Rule utilitarianism tries to preserve the benefits of rules while keeping utilitarian goals.
- In the seminar, students contrasted rule utilitarianism with act utilitarianism.
- She argues that rule utilitarianism better protects individual rights in everyday situations.
utilitarian approach
1focus on practical results
a way of doing something that is mainly practical
- They took a utilitarian approach to the renovation, choosing durable materials over expensive finishes.
- Her utilitarian approach to budgeting leaves little room for impulse purchases.
- The team adopted a utilitarian approach: fix the biggest problems first.
- We need a utilitarian approach to this problem.
utilitarian design
1design focused on function
design made to work well, not to look fancy
- Utilitarian design is popular in small apartments because it saves space.
- The brand is known for utilitarian design—simple shapes and tough fabrics.
- The new bus station favors utilitarian design over grand architecture.
- I like utilitarian design in furniture.
utilitarian ethics
1ethics based on outcomes
the idea that the best choice is the one with the best results for most people
- Utilitarian ethics can support sacrificing a small benefit to avoid a much larger harm.
- The article applies utilitarian ethics to decisions about vaccine distribution.
- Critics argue that utilitarian ethics can permit unfair treatment of minorities.
- We discussed utilitarian ethics in philosophy class.