Hume's Concept of Utility

The concept of utility, as developed by David Hume in An Enquiry Concerning the Principals of Morals, is about the evolution of a general concept of justice, based on the relative equity that does (or should) exist between members of society. The concept of justice is only one facet that arises out of Hume's idea of utility. In short, what Hume is alluding to, is a kind of societal muscle that comes into use out of need, and becomes strong through use (Hume, 1983).

Hume starts with a very simple concept, the idea that justice as we have come to recognize it, is not a function of one person surviving in the wilderness, or even the relative fairness of whether one species does or does not survive. Justice rises out of a multiple need. When individuals contend over the relative fairness in time and space of the use of materials, commodities, or abstract human possessions, the concept of utility arises to somehow mediate the differences. In the roughest sense, the concept of utility is that which brings to mind the ability to utilize, or the need to process or use such an ability. As Hume puts it: "public utility is the sole origin of justice, and that reflections on the beneficial consequences of this virtue are the sole foundation of its merit" (Hume, 1983, p. 20).

Hume makes his point extremely clear by positing that a paradise of sorts, for all humankind would do away with the need for utility or justice. If no-one ever experie

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lity will tend to exist with it in order to conserve a kind of order, through the use of justice. Justice then, is a direct reflection of the relative affluence of the society in question. If resources are in great abundance, then the utility of justice will not have a very visible profile. If resources are scarce, the utility of justice will be heavily exercised. Justice at this point, may begin to scavenge the very society it is charged to protect (Hume, 1983). Justice and Benevolence Having established that the term utility refers to a kind of collective societal need or action, Hume has further defined justice as a sub-category within utility. Justice is defined as the laws and rules that society agrees upon, to settle differences regarding resource availability. Within Hume's understanding of justice, there only exists room for the human element, as society has created the laws therein. According to Hume, extending the tendencies of utility and justice outside of human society, should not be expected (Hume, 1983). In order to illustrate this point, Hume describes an imaginary situation, in which intelligent creatures, not of western society, co-exist in our sphere. In Hume's estimation these creatures could not rec

Category: Philosophy - H