As Railton's distinction between sophisticated and crude consequentialism shows, indirect theories succeed only when their decision procedures reliably converge on direct utility maximization.
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Indirect theories(as the main subject of the statement)
Ethical theories that say the best way to achieve good outcomes is NOT to directly aim for them, but to follow other principles, rules, or decision-making methods instead.
Railton(as a philosopher who developed a key theory in 1984)
Peter Railton is a contemporary American philosopher who developed an influential version of consequentialism that tries to address criticisms of the theory.
Sophisticated consequentialism(as the specific version of consequentialism Railton proposed)
A more nuanced version of consequentialism that acknowledges the theory's limitations and tries to fix problems with simpler versions of the theory.
consequentialism(Applied to terrorism and legal punishment)
The view that practices are judged solely by their consequences, such that a practice is wrong only if it has bad consequences on balance.
utility(Mill's qualification distinguishing his conception of utility from narrower hedonistic or preference-based interpretations.)
Utility in the largest sense, grounded on the permanent interests of man as a progressive being — not mere immediate pleasure or preference satisfaction.