Preference Utilitarianism: Peter Singer
Peter Singer's version of utilitarianism emphasizing the satisfaction of preferences rather than just pleasure. Moral rightness consists in actions or policies that equally consider all sentient beings' preferences, reflecting the principle of equal consideration of interests regardless of species affiliation.
Real World
Singer's framework influenced the 'Effective Altruism' movement, where tech figures like Dustin Moskovitz donate billions to causes that maximise preference satisfaction globally — treating the preferences of distant strangers as equal to those of family or friends.
Exam Focus
Distinguish clearly between hedonistic and preference utilitarianism; confusing the two is a common error that loses marks on specification-focused questions.
How well did you know this?