80,000 Hours Podcast cover image

#138 Classic episode – Sharon Hewitt Rawlette on why pleasure and pain are the only things that intrinsically matter

80,000 Hours Podcast

CHAPTER

Motivational Limits and Utilitarian Ethics

This chapter examines the tension between individual pleasure, personal autonomy, and the frameworks of applied hedonistic utilitarianism, emphasizing the importance of individual responsibility in a cooperative society. Through a thought experiment, it raises ethical questions about the consequences of prioritizing the greater good over individual rights, challenging the foundations of utilitarian philosophy.

00:00
Transcript
Play full episode

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner