Imagine that you have been invited to go to the opera on the same day and time that a contestant on your favorite reality television show is making an appearance in your town.A utilitarian take on how to decide which event to attend would largely depend upon which of the following?
A) whether you had previously attended either event
B) the cost of each event
C) the relative qualities of the resultant happiness
D) which event you committed to attending first

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Utilitarianism is a moral theory based on the principle of maximizing overall happiness or pleasure. Therefore, the best choice would be to attend the event that would result in the highest level of happiness for the greatest number of people. In this case, it would be important to consider the relative qualities of the happiness that would result from attending the opera versus seeing the contestant on the reality TV show. This would depend on personal preferences and the significance of the appearance by the contestant.

Imagine That You Have Been Invited to Go to the Opera