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Making Sense with Sam Harris
Making Sense with Sam Harris

#446 — How to Do the Most Good

December 01, 2025 • 21m

Summary

⏱️ 8 min read

Overview

This episode explores utilitarianism, consequentialism, and the philosophy of happiness and well-being with a focus on ethical frameworks and their practical applications. The conversation delves into how we should define and maximize human flourishing, examining competing theories of well-being, the experience machine thought experiment, and how comparative thinking shapes our happiness. The discussion bridges abstract philosophical concepts with real-world questions about suffering, prosperity, and moral priorities.

Introduction to Utilitarianism and Philosophical Awakening

The guest recounts their first encounter with utilitarianism and the idea of maximizing happiness, describing it as a transformative moment in their intellectual journey. Over twenty years, they pursued both the philosophical question of whether we should maximize happiness and the empirical question of how to apply happiness research practically. This dual track has shaped their current work at the intersection of ethics and well-being science.

  • First exposure to utilitarianism created a 'waking up moment' about the centrality of happiness to ethics
  • Spent 20 years pursuing both the philosophical question of whether to maximize happiness and the empirical question of how to do so
" I came across the idea of utilitarianism that we should maximize happiness and I thought oh wow that's I don't know if that's the whole story of ethics but that's a massive story of ethics you might say it was a waking up moment "

Defining Utilitarianism, Consequentialism, and Deontology

The conversation establishes key philosophical distinctions between ethical frameworks. Classical utilitarianism focuses on maximizing the sum total of happiness, while consequentialism more broadly aims to maximize good without necessarily defining it as happiness. These are contrasted with deontological theories that incorporate constraints and prerogatives—arguing that some actions are wrong regardless of consequences and that we're not always obligated to maximize good outcomes.

  • Utilitarianism is the view that one ought to maximize the sum total of happiness
  • Consequentialism means doing the most good, not necessarily defined as happiness
  • Deontological theories include constraints (things you shouldn't do) and prerogatives (good things you're not obligated to do)

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