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Utilitarianism

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Right actions and institutions maximize aggregate happiness.

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• Aggregate: average or total happiness of all affected, taken together ("aggregated"). Note that "average" and "total" aren't necessarily equivalent. [Example]

• Happiness:

  Hedonistic conception: an individual is happy to the extent that she or he (or it) experiences pleasure and does not experience pain.

  Preference- or desire-based conception: an individual is happy to the extent that she or he (or it) achieves an integrated satisfaction of his/her preferences (or desires, plans, projects, etc.).

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