Hampstead Heath Walk: Utilitarianism - Jeremy Bentham & Peter Singer

This time we will be walking around Hampstead Heath and discussing utilitarianism, from Jeremy Bentham to Peter Singer. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that focuses on maximising happiness and minimising pain. It is a version of consequentialism, the idea that morality is based only on the consequences of actions. We'll be discussing if utilitarian ethics can still provide a valid moral framework for life today and various criticisms of the theory. We'll also talk about the recent controversies involving the effective altruism movement.

You don't have to read anything attend but you will get a lot more out of the walk and discussion if you do get time to read something by Jeremy Bentham or Peter Singer. Here are a few suggestions below. I'll add more resources to look at in the comments later.

Utilitarianism and Other Essays
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Utilitarianism-Other-Essays-Classics-Mill/dp/0140432728

Practical Ethics
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Practical-Ethics-Peter-Singer/dp/0521707684

Utilitarianism on Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism

An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation - pdf
https://www.reed.edu/humanities/hum220/syllabus/2010-11/Bentham-Principles.pdf

We are going to meet at the entrance to Hampstead Heath opposite Hampstead Heath Overground station. The Overground is often not running on Sundays so please check TFL for travel information. The nearest tube station is Chalk Farm, it is a 10 minute walk from there to Hampstead Heath. We might go a drink or lunch in a nearby pub after the walk - usually The Stag.

Our walks are not lectures or guided tours but more of a walking discussion group with some quotes and questions provided as a starting point. The only rule is to keep all discussion friendly and constructive and be respectful of other attendees. No dogs please as we've had problems with dogs distracting from the group discussion. Please try to arrive on time, we usually wait for about 10 minutes at the meeting location but once we have left you won't be able to find us! We don't stick to the paths and the heath might be muddy so bring good footwear!

There is an optional £5 fee for this walk to help contribute towards the meetup.com fees, and the time and effort put in to prepare the walk and printed notes. This can be paid in cash on the day or via this stripe link: https://buy.stripe.com/3cs5mi0aD3SxeT65km