Talk:List of utilitarians

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Philosophy: Philosophers / Ethics Mid‑importance

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Untitled[edit]

Please provide evidence here when including an individual not included in this encyclopedia. alleszermalmer 04:19, 2 Feb 2004 (UTC)

I'm offering ψ1 for each two properly documented and reasonably famous additions to the List of utilitarians. Sir Paul 04:58, Feb 16, 2004 (UTC)

I'm deleting G.E. Moore. He was a consequentialist, but he opposed any naturalistic conception of what is good -- and the definition of good as pleasure is precisely what he had in mind when he complained of the "naturalistic fallacy" in ethics.

I deleted Murray Rothbard he was not a utilitarian but believed in natural rights

Margaret Thatcher??? is there a reference for this?

I am going to delete Ludwig von Mises unless somebody wants to provide an link arguing otherwise. He classified himself as a "classical liberal" and by others as a "libertarian." Both of these ideological groupings genereally believe strongly in natural rights.

There is a strong tendency towards Natural Rights in libertarian circles, but it certainly isn't universal. Mises mentions utilitarianism a few times in Theory and History, saying that "utilitarian philosophers found the right answer" (pp. 168). Murray Rothbard criticized Ludwig von Mises for his "utilitarian liberalism".--XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO (talk) 16:56, 18 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Karl Popper was NOT a utilitarian surely??? Are we not confusing concepts about 'public welfare' with utilitarianism the ethical doctrine? I think we are.

Should Zell Kravinsky be added to this list? His article says he is utilitarian, and I got some results searching for his name and "utilitarian" or "utilitarianism".

Also, should all people on this list also be added to the "utilitarians" category? Thanks in advance! --Kletta (talk) 04:33, 5 December 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I don't think Herbert Spencer should be on the list. In some older overview works he might have been regarded as a utilitarian, but I think he seldom is nowadays -- Barton Fink, Oct 30 2015

William Paley?[edit]

Was he really a utilitarian? Where is the source for this? --72.82.17.84 (talk) 16:40, 4 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

He was certainly a (theological) utilitarian. See for example Jeffrey Scarre's book "Utilitarianism" -- Barton Fink, Oct 30 2015

Steven Pinker reference[edit]

The Steven Pinker reference is kind of bad. It's a long Youtube video. If the following is the place referred to, then it doesn't really seem to indicate that he is an utilitarian: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv0Resywg48&t=1h13m9s He is just saying "I am an utilitarian in that sense." in a special context.

Lucretius[edit]

I'm unable to find any citations which describe Lucretius as a utilitarian, or a proto one. Should he be included in this list? Throughthemind (talk) 12:25, 2 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Sam Bankman-Fried (?)[edit]

Do we consider convicted fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried to be a notable utilitarian (see Views on charity and market regulation)? Both he and his father (also of questionable merit for inclusion here, in my view) are listed, both with a (duplicated) supporting reference by Barbara Fried (his mother). -- Cl3phact0 (talk) 17:03, 4 April 2024 (UTC)[reply]