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Origin and history of utilitarian

utilitarian(n.)

"advocate of utilitarianism; one guided by the doctrine of the greatest happiness for the greatest number," 1781, coined by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) from utility + -arian on the model of + unitarian, etc. Utility had been used in philosophy by Hume for "capacity to satisfy the needs or desires of all or the greatest majority."

Utilitarian is attested by 1802 as an adjective; in the general sense of "pertaining to utility, having regard to utility rather than beauty," by 1847.

[Bentham] had a phrase, expressive of the view he took of all moral speculations to which his method had not been applied, or (which he considered as the same thing) not founded on a recognition of utility as the moral standard ; this phrase was "vague generalities." Whatever presented itself to him in such a shape, he dismissed as unworthy of notice, or dwelt upon only to denounce as absurd. He did not heed, or rather the nature of his mind prevented it from occurring to him, that these generalities contained the whole unanalyzed experience of the human race. [John Stuart Mill, "The Works of Jeremy Bentham," London and Westminster Review, August 1838]

Related: Utilitarianize.

also from 1781

Entries linking to utilitarian

Unitarian(n.)

1680s, "one who rejects the doctrine of the Trinity and maintains the unipersonality of the Deity," with -ian + from Modern Latin unitarius (1650s), from Latin unitas "oneness" (see unity).

It also formerly was applied to Muslims and other non-Christian monotheists and was used in various non-theological senses to express "of or relating to a unit or unity." But typically (and with a capital) it refers to a Christian body founded upon the doctrine of unipersonality. The American Unitarian Association formed in 1825. As an adjective it is attested from 1680s.

utility(n.)

late 14c., utilite, "fact or character of being useful," from Old French utilite "usefulness" (13c., Modern French utilité), earlier utilitet (12c.), from Latin utilitatem (nominative utilitas) "usefulness, serviceableness, profit," from utilis "usable," from uti "make use of, profit by, take advantage of" (see use (v.)).

The noun meaning "a useful thing" is from late 15c. As a shortened form of public utility it is recorded from 1930.

utilitarianism(n.)

1827, from utilitarian + -ism. The doctrine that the end of all action should be the greatest happiness of the greatest number.

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    divination
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