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consequentialism

consequentialism

1 9.9
A way to judge actions as right or wrong by their results
  • noun
  • /ˌkɒnsɪˈkwɛnʃəlɪzəm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : consecuencialismo
  • A subset of utilitarianism, consequentialism, particularly "rule utilitarianism," justifies a social norm against theft in terms of the long-term consequences for society.
  • ethics and consequentialism
  • consequentialism and virtue

When I say that Kant is a critic of consequentialism, I am not exaggerating.

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Examples

  • Even so, consequentialism fails to deliver on its promises, particularly in the case of punishment.

    Academic text (2003)
  • And what we're going to discuss today is consequentialism, and in particular utilitarianism in the voice of John Stuart Mill.

  • Consequentialism is derived from utilitarianism and focuses on the clearly useful consequences of actions.

    Academic text (2014)
  • The most recent approach, utilitarian ethics (also known as consequentialism), was developed by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill in the late 18th to mid-19th century.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Consequentialism suggests that the morality of an action is determined by its consequentialism rather than by any predefined rules.

  • Many philosophers argue that consequentialism is a practical approach because it focuses on the results of our actions.

  • In discussions about ethics, consequentialism is often contrasted with deontological theories that prioritize rules over outcomes.

Surface Forms

Morphology

consequentialism = consequential (transparent) = consequence + ial + ism

Formed by adding the productive suffix '-ism' to the adjective 'consequential' to denote a doctrine or system of thought.

Etymology

Consequentialism starts with consequence, from a root that means 'to follow', and ends with -ism, which means 'a belief'. Think of sequence as something that follows. So, consequentialism is the belief that the results that 'follow' an action decide if it is right or wrong.