Nietzsche's Critique of Utilitarianism

Abstract

Nietzsche's scattered, caustic remarks on utilitarianism pervade his philo sophical corpus and tend to be sweepingly critical. Until recently, how ever, scholars have generally ignored Nietzsche's critique because it consists largely of undeveloped arguments and ad hominem attacks against particular utilitarian proponents.1 This is unfortunate, since his critique of utilitarianism is linked important ways to his critique of Christianity, and moreover it exem plifies Nietzsche's adeptness at attacking views he opposed by exposing con cealed assumptions and turning the assumptions of its proponents against the principles they defend. This essay examines the main sources of Nietzsche's fierce opposition to util itarianism, without considering at length any alternative normative position he may have advanced.2 The absence of sustained discussion this essay of a pos itive alternative should not, however, be taken to imply that he rejects morality tout court. Nietzsche parries this common interpretation Daybreak by con ceding, in this book faith morality is withdrawn?but Why? Out of moral ity! (D 4).3 Instead of criticizing utilitarianism by contrasting it with his own moral values, however, Nietzsche primarily attacks utilitarianism by querying its internal coherence, and by raising the possibility that utilitarians are driven by motives at odds with their overt concern with the greatest happiness of the greatest number. The charges of theoretical and motivational inconsistency, which I discuss Sections 1 and 3, respectively, comprise Nietzsche's main objections to utilitarianism. In Section 2,1 discuss a more general argument, loosely related to Section 1, according to which Nietzsche criticizes English util itarians for failing to countenance the evil that utility maximization requires. In Section 4,1 attempt to fortify the interpretation of the first three sections by exposing the weaknesses of a recent account of Nietzsche's critique of utilitar ianism advanced by Frank Cameron. Finally, Section 5,1 begin by staving off another alternative interpretation of Nietzsche's critique of utilitarianism, and then proceed to characterize Nietzsche's hostility toward English utilitarians as typifying his general suspicion of any attempt by a particular group to impose a single moral standard on all people.