--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Utilitarianism is inherently pragmatic…" description: "\"Utilitarianism is inherently pragmatic - in fact, I prefer to call it \"deep pragmatism.\" Humans have real limitations, obligations, and frailties, so t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd2/joshua-greene-51160_goal_utilitarianism-is-inherently-pragmatic-i_513562.jpg" --- # Utilitarianism is inherently pragmatic - in fact, I prefer… ![“Utilitarianism is inherently pragmatic - in fact, I prefer to call it "deep pragmatism." Humans have real limitations, obligations, and frailties, so the best policy is to set reasonable goals, given your limitations. Just try to be a little less tribalistic.” quote by Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd2/joshua-greene-51160_goal_utilitarianism-is-inherently-pragmatic-i_513562.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd2/joshua-greene-51160_goal_utilitarianism-is-inherently-pragmatic-i_513562.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd2/joshua-greene-51160_goal_utilitarianism-is-inherently-pragmatic-i_513562.jpg) > “Utilitarianism is inherently pragmatic - in fact, I prefer to call it "deep pragmatism." Humans have real limitations, obligations, and frailties, so the best policy is to set reasonable goals, given your limitations. Just try to be a little less tribalistic.” [Joshua Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-greene/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pragmatic utilitarianism balances human limits with realistic goals, urging less tribalism. **In simple terms:** Pragmatic utilitarianism. Key Takeaway Set realistic, inclusive goals. Themes ethics pragmatism humanity Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - policy design - team collaboration - public health Key Concepts utilitarianism limitations social cohesion Questions to Reflect On - How can policies respect limits yet protect minorities? - What trade‑offs are acceptable? A Different Perspective May overlook minority rights. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Limitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limitation/) [Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality/) [Obligation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obligation/) [Pragmatic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pragmatic/) [Pragmatism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pragmatism/) [Utilitarianism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/utilitarianism/) ## Related quotes > [Idealism without pragmatism is impotent. Pragmatism without idealism is meaningless. The key to effective leadership is pragmatic idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/idealism-without-pragmatism-is-impotent-pragmatism-without-idealism/) [Richard M. 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However, my pragmatism also extends to maintainability, which is why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-am-pragmatic-that-which-works-works-and-theory-can-go-screw-itself/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Man is by nature a pragmatic materialist, a mechanic, a lover of gadgets and gadgetry; and these are the qualities that characterize the "establishment"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gould-davis/man-is-by-nature-a-pragmatic-materialist-a-mechanic-a-lover-of/) [Elizabeth Gould Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gould-davis/) > [“In meetings philosophy might work, on the field practicality works.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/in-meetings-philosophy-might-work-on-the-field-practicality-works/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“Pragmatism is good prevention for problems.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/pragmatism-is-good-prevention-for-problems/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [“A photograph shouldn't be just a picture, it should be a philosophy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/a-photograph-shouldn-t-be-just-a-picture-it-should-be-a-philosophy/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Scientific method is the way to truth, but it affords, even in principle, no unique definition of truth. 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Without unbelief, we might well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-stein/many-of-the-innovations-in-science-and-philosophy-have-come-from/) [Gordon Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-stein/) > [“All social inequalities which have ceased to be considered expedient, assume the character not of simple inexpediency, but of injustice, and appear so tyrannical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/all-social-inequalities-which-have-ceased-to-be-considered-expedient/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [The utilitarian behaves sensibly in all that is required for preservation but never takes account of the fact that he must die...His whole life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allan-bloom/the-utilitarian-behaves-sensibly-in-all-that-is-required-for/) [Allan Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allan-bloom/) > [Utilitarianism is a civilization of production and of use, a civilization of "things" and not of "persons," a civilization in which persons are used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/utilitarianism-is-a-civilization-of-production-and-of-use-a/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [“The religion of orgasm: utilitarianism projected into sex life; efficiency versus indolence; coition reduced to an obstacle to be got past as quickly as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-religion-of-orgasm-utilitarianism-projected-into-sex-life/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) ## More by Joshua Greene > [Morality is essentially a suite of psychological mechanisms that enable us to cooperate. 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This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [“my role my goal my dream my life not yours -all mine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emi-sisk/my-role-my-goal-my-dream-my-life-not-yours-all-mine/) Emi Sisk > [Eugenic goals are most likely to be attained under another name than eugenics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-osborn/eugenic-goals-are-most-likely-to-be-attained-under-another-name-than/) [Frederick Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-osborn/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [Everybody tries to score a great goal, and I am lucky I have netted a few.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zlatan-ibrahimovic/everybody-tries-to-score-a-great-goal-and-i-am-lucky-i-have-netted-a/) [Zlatan Ibrahimovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zlatan-ibrahimovic/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-rockefeller/if-your-only-goal-is-to-become-rich-you-will-never-achieve-it/) [John D. 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Ego-oriented people don’t work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charbel-tadros/there-are-two-kinds-of-people-goal-oriented-and-ego-oriented-goal/) [Charbel Tadros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charbel-tadros/) [Browse all 9,890 Goal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Utilitarianism is inherently pragmatic - in fact, I prefer to call it \"deep pragmatism.\" Humans have real limitations, obligations, and frailties, so the best policy is to set reasonable goals, given your limitations. 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