Utilitarianism is seen as the most pragmatic tool for resolving conflicting subjective values.

Utilitarianism offers transparency in moral trade-offs, unlike theories claiming objective truths.

Embracing moral nihilism could render traditional moral philosophy largely obsolete.

This is a continuation from a previous blog post on the future of moral philosoph (see here).

In his PhD thesis, the psychologist Jushua Greene wrote:

Utilitarianism is not true, nor is it an adequate systematization of anyone’s values. No one is a utilitarian at heart. But at the same time, everyone is a utilitarian in part. As realists, relying on our moral intuitions as guides to moral truth, we have every reason to reject utilitarianism. But as people who know the truth about morality in search of practical moral guidelines that people with different moral outlooks can share, utilitarianism is, I think, our best hope.

Utilitarianism is not true, nor is it an adequate systematization of anyone’s values. No one is a utilitarian at heart. But at the same time, everyone is a utilitarian in part. As realists, relying on our moral intuitions as guides to moral truth, we have every reason to reject utilitarianism. But as people who know the truth about morality in search of practical moral guidelines that people with different moral outlooks can share, utilitarianism is, I think, our best hope.

Utilitarianism is unattractive to many because it involves trade-offs and compromises. The real ethical truths could not possibly be so cruel. But there are no moral facts. There is only the harsh real world of millions of beings, many more if we include animals, who all have their own........

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