Applied Ethics · Chapter 3

Build a Consequentialism

Consequentialism is a family, not a single theory, and classical utilitarianism is one member of it: outcomes only, plus welfarism, plus impartial summing. Flip any one component and you have built something else with a name and a history. Set the five switches, then watch a real allocation case be decided differently underneath you.

1 · Set the five components

Or start from someone else’s theory

What you just built

2 · Run it on a case

A regional health authority has one budget and three plans. Each plan leaves the four districts at the well-being levels shown. One plan also flattens an ancient wetland, and one requires reneging on a written commitment made to the remote settlements last year.