The idea of utility as a value, goal or principle in political, moral and economic life has a long and rich history. Now available in paperback, The Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Utilitarianism captures the complex history and the multi-faceted character of utilitarianism, making it the first work of its kind to bring together all the various aspects of the tradition for comparative study.

With more than 200 entries on the authors and texts recognised as having built the tradition of utilitarian thinking, it covers issues and critics that have arisen at every stage. There are entries on Plato, Epicurus, and Confucius and progenitors of the theory like John Gay and David Hume, together with political economists, legal scholars, historians and commentators.

Cross-referenced throughout, each entry consists of an explanation of the topic, a bibliography of works and suggestions for further reading. Providing fresh juxtapositions of issues and arguments in utilitarian studies and written by a team of respected scholars, The Bloomsbury Encyclopedia of Utilitarianism is an authoritative and valuable resource.

The quality of the encyclopedia is a worthy reflection of the expertise of the contributors, and of the good sense of the editor and editorial committee in assigning the topics . . . Compiling an encyclopedia will always involve difficult decisions about which topics to include and which to exclude, and how many words should be devoted to each topic, but the editor and editorial committee are to be congratulated on striking an excellent balance in this respect. The encyclopedia forms a marvellous resource for both students and professional academics alike.