Fundamental Tenets of Utilitarianism

Basic Insights of Utilitarianism
  The purpose of morality is to make the world a better place.
      Morality is about producing good consequences, not having   good intentions
      We should do whatever will bring the most benefit (i.e., intrinsic   value) to all of humanity.
    The Purpose of Morality
  The utilitarian has a very simple answer to the question of   why morality exists at all:
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      Consequently, the emphasis in utilitarianism is on consequences,   not intentions.
    Fundamental Imperative
The fundamental imperative of utilitarianism is:
Always act in the way that will produce the greatest overall amount of good in the world.
      {text:list-item}     The Emphasis on the Overall Good
  We often speak of “utilitarian” solutions in a disparaging   tone, but in fact utilitarianism is a demanding moral position   that often asks us to put aside self-interest for the sake of   the whole.
      Utilitarianism is a morally demanding position for two   reasons:
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    The Dream of Utilitarianism: Bringing Scientific Certainty to Ethics
  Utilitarianism offers us a powerful vision of the moral life,   one that promises to reduce or eliminate moral disagreement.
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      Standards of Utility: A History of Utilitarianism
    Intrinsic Value
  Many things have instrumental value, that is, they have value   as means to an end.
      However, there must be some things which are not merely instrumental,   but have value in themselves. This is what we call intrinsic   value.
      What has intrinsic value? Four principal candidates:
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    Bentham believed that we should try to increase the overall amount of pleasure in the world.
Pleasure...