Henry Sidgwick

Henry Sidgwick (1838–1900) was a British philosopher whose The Methods of Ethics compared utilitarianism, intuitionism, and egoism. His analysis shaped modern moral philosophy and the development of academic ethics.

The Methods of Ethics: Henry Sidgwick’s 1874 book comparing utilitarianism, intuitionism, and egoism as methods for deciding what one ought to do. This is Sidgwick’s central work and the fullest statement of his ethical analysis.
Axiomatic method: A style of reasoning that begins from basic principles and derives further claims through argument. Sidgwick seeks a small set of clear moral axioms from which ethical conclusions can follow.
John Stuart Mill: A British philosopher and political economist whose writings defended utilitarian ethics and individual liberty. Sidgwick critically refines the utilitarian tradition Mill helped popularize.
Dualism of practical reason: The apparent conflict between rationally pursuing one’s own good and promoting universal good. Sidgwick concludes that reason may not fully reconcile egoism with utilitarianism.
Utilitarianism: The ethical view that actions are right insofar as they promote overall well-being. Sidgwick develops a sophisticated version of this method and tests its justification.
Reflective equilibrium: A method of ethical reasoning that adjusts general principles and particular judgments until they cohere. Sidgwick’s comparisons anticipate the balancing of principles against considered moral judgments.
Jeremy Bentham: An English philosopher who founded classical utilitarianism around the principle of maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. Bentham’s version of utility is an important predecessor to Sidgwick’s more systematic account.
Analytic ethics: The tradition of philosophical ethics that emphasizes precise concepts, explicit arguments, and logical analysis. Sidgwick’s systematic argument helped set standards for later English-language moral philosophy.
Ethical intuitionism: The view that some moral principles can be known directly, rather than inferred from consequences. Sidgwick examines whether self-evident moral rules can guide conduct reliably.
Principle of utility: The principle that conduct should promote the greatest attainable amount of happiness overall. This is the impartial standard that gives Sidgwick’s utilitarian method its direction.

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