Negative utilitarianism Utilitarianism

in open society , enemies (1945), karl popper argued principle maximize pleasure should replaced minimize pain . thought not impossible dangerous attempt maximize pleasure or happiness of people, since such attempt must lead totalitarianism. claimed that:

there is, ethical point of view, no symmetry between suffering , happiness, or between pain , pleasure… in opinion human suffering makes direct moral appeal, namely, appeal help, while there no similar call increase happiness of man doing anyway. further criticism of utilitarian formula maximize pleasure assumes continuous pleasure-pain scale allows treat degrees of pain negative degrees of pleasure. but, moral point of view, pain cannot outweighed pleasure, , not 1 man s pain man s pleasure. instead of greatest happiness greatest number, 1 should demand, more modestly, least amount of avoidable suffering all...

the actual term negative utilitarianism introduced r.n.smart title 1958 reply popper in argued principle entail seeking quickest , least painful method of killing entirety of humanity.

negative total utilitarianism, in contrast, tolerates suffering can compensated within same person.

negative preference utilitarianism avoids problem of moral killing reference existing preferences such killing violate, while still demands justification creation of new lives. possible justification reduction of average level of preference-frustration.

others see negative utilitarianism branch within modern hedonistic utilitarianism, assigns higher weight avoidance of suffering promotion of happiness. moral weight of suffering can increased using compassionate utilitarian metric, result same in prioritarianism.

pessimistic representatives of negative utilitarianism can found in environment of buddhism.