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shiranaihito  ·  3440 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: The Repugnant Conclusion

So "utility" is both "happiness" and "something that's useful towards the end of happiness".

In other words, it's both the end and the means towards it at the same time? But that makes no sense. That's like saying the act of driving a car is both "getting someplace" and the means towards it.

    "Utility is defined in various ways, including as pleasure, economic well-being and the lack of suffering."

Not only that, but Utility is also various things that aren't at all related to how the word is commonly understood. This is like me defining a strawberry as something that could be an apple, an orange, or perhaps a coconut.

To be fair, the quoted definition has a common theme. The various definitions are all positive things. But on the other hand, my example is just as good, because the various definitions are all delicious fruits!