Visualising Utilitarianism

A visual teaching, learning and revision companion for A Level Philosophy, Religious Studies, IB Philosophy and introductory undergraduate Ethics.

Visualising Utilitarianism
This resource has been developed to support the teaching and study of Utilitarianism through conceptual visualisation, structured explanation and carefully sequenced slide builds.

Designed for teachers, students and tutors, the resource aims to help learners move beyond memorisation towards genuine philosophical understanding.

Rather than relying primarily on philosopher biographies, stock imagery and bullet-point summaries, the resource uses visual models, explanatory frameworks and conceptual mapping to help students understand:

• what utilitarian theories claim
• why they make those claims
• how moral decisions are justified
• how different forms of utilitarianism compare
• how philosophical evaluation can be developed

The resource is intended to complement teaching, textbooks, primary-source reading and independent study rather than replace them.

Contents

Hedonistic Act Utilitarianism
Bentham’s Quantitative Utilitarianism
• Psychological Hedonism
• The Principle of Utility
• The Utility Calculus
• Quantitative Hedonism

Mill’s Qualitative Utilitarianism
• Mill’s Appraisal of Bentham’s Utilitarianism
• Higher and Lower Pleasures
• Competent Judges
• Mill’s Proof of Utilitarianism
• Secondary Principles

Preference Utilitarianism

Rule Utilitarianism
• Act Utilitarianism versus Rule Utilitarianism
• Strong Rule Utilitarianism
• Weak Rule Utilitarianism

Evaluation
• The Experience Machine
• Criticisms and evaluation presented as meaningful philosophical questions

Distinctive Features

Visualising Philosophy
Abstract concepts are presented through:

• conceptual maps
• visual models
• structured comparisons
• progressive slide builds
rather than relying solely on text-heavy explanations.

Meaningful Animation
Animations are used pedagogically rather than decoratively. Ideas, arguments and conceptual relationships are revealed progressively to help students follow philosophical reasoning one stage at a time.

Suitable For
• A Level Philosophy
• A Level Religious Studies
• IB Philosophy
• Access and Foundation Courses
• Introductory Undergraduate Ethics
• Tutors and independent learners

Green Lotus Education
This resource forms part of the Visualising Philosophy Project: an ongoing effort to develop visual frameworks, conceptual models and teaching resources that help students understand, compare and evaluate philosophical ideas more effectively.

Related resources include:
• Visualising Utilitarianism: An Introduction
• Visualising Kantian Ethics
• Visualising Aristotelian Virtue Ethics
• Visualising Normative Ethics Bundle