Can we know what we think we know?

Utilitarianism is a moral doctrine that we should always act in such a way as to produce the greatest possible good over evil, in balance, for all those affected by our actions. A branch of utilitarianism promoted by Jeremy Bentham, and generally considered “European” or “classical” utilitarianism, considers pleasure to be the greatest good (Bentham, 1769; Shaw & Barry, 2007). This view, or rule, of utility considers the community to be a fiction (Bentham, 1769, § 1, paragraph 4) and insists that only individuals be considered; it is a form of self-aggrandizement of the highest order. On the other hand, it is true that we see the world in the most favorable light for our own benefit.

Much of this distinction comes from the length of the lens through which you view events; a tragedy today can become the best of all possible worlds tomorrow. For example, a man can be devastated when his wife leaves him, and still be able to see years later that it was all for the best; the usefulness of what was originally considered a loss can be made clear. Likewise, those Harvard MBAs and PhDs who were lucky enough to receive job offers from Enron no doubt patted themselves on the back and were confident that their careers were guaranteed success; later, many realized that they were unemployed due to the tarnishing of the Enron name.

Therefore, when we consider the utilitarian value of any event, we must take a broad view of the situation; what appears to be a positive event producing good may ultimately prove to have been the worst possible event, while what appears to be a bad outcome at the time may turn out to be the best.

References:

Bentham, J. (1781). An Introduction to Principles or Morals and Legislation (electronic version).

Shaw, W. H. & Barry, V. (2007). moral issues in business (10th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thompson Higher Education.