---
title: "Consequences: doing the most good"
course: "PHIL 101 · Big questions in philosophy"
unit: "How should we live?"
lesson: 9 of 16
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/big-questions-in-philosophy/consequences-doing-the-most-good
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Consequences: doing the most good

Lesson 9 of 16 in **Big questions in philosophy** (PHIL 101), unit "How should we live?". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Explain consequentialism and utilitarianism as judging actions by their outcomes, with Bentham and Mill as key figures.
- Apply utilitarian reasoning to a simple dilemma, such as the trolley problem.
- Describe at least two objections, such as ignoring rights or the difficulty of predicting outcomes.
- Mention an early non-Western parallel, such as Mohist ethics in ancient China and its focus on benefit to all.

## Teaching notes
Use small everyday dilemmas (sharing limited time or money) before the trolley problem. Ask the learner to calculate likely outcomes and then notice what the calculation leaves out.

## Course boundaries
Present philosophical views fairly in their strongest form, including non-Western traditions. Do not push your own conclusions on open questions, and keep religious and political topics balanced and respectful.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 9 complete: Consequences: doing the most good."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Duties and rules" (lesson 10 of 16), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/big-questions-in-philosophy/duties-and-rules.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Challenge: the self on trial
Next lesson: Duties and rules