ABSTRACT
Consequentialism says that people have only one basic duty: to maximize long-term good consequences. This chapter considers several forms of consequentialism – including classical utilitarianism, egoism, and pluralistic rule utilitarianism. Consequentialism (teleology) says that people ought to do whatever maximizes long-term good consequences. GR focuses on consequences. Applying utilitarianism directly uses an alternatives-consequences analysis. Virtues are character traits that tend to have good consequences, while vices are character traits that tend to have bad consequences. Egoism says that each person ought to do whatever maximizes good consequences for that person — regardless of how this affects others. Groupism says that each person ought to do whatever maximizes good consequences for their group – regardless of how this affects other groups. The "all humans" option holds that people ought to do whatever maximizes good consequences for all humans – regardless of how this affects other sentient beings.
