Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg Trying to convince Spencer to be a utilitarian (with Tyler John)
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Aug 13, 2025 Tyler John, a Visiting Scholar at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence and expert on AI ethics, dives into the evolution of utilitarianism from ancient to modern times. He discusses the delicate balance between personal values and the utilitarian principle of maximizing overall happiness. Listeners learn about the 'veil of ignorance' and its implications for ethical decision-making. Tyler also tackles the intersection of utilitarianism with AI ethics, prompting reflections on how technology shapes our moral landscape.
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Utilitarianism's Core And Long History
- Utilitarianism seeks to maximize total happiness and minimize suffering across all sentient beings and times.
- Its roots reach from ancient Mohism in China to Bentham and Mill's classical formulations in Britain.
Bentham Vs. Mill On Pleasure
- Bentham treated all pleasures as equal while Mill distinguished higher (intellectual) and lower pleasures.
- That disagreement shows utilitarians still struggle to map different goods into a single comparable scale.
Utilitarianism Shaped Effective Altruism
- Utilitarian ideas strongly influenced effective altruism's priorities like global poverty, animal welfare, and existential risk.
- Many early EA leaders were utilitarians, shaping the movement's focus on measurable large-scale impact.
