Utilitarianism holds that it is the common good that is to be advanced. On his formulation pleasures were conceived quantitatively in such a way that one could, in principle, measure and compare them and thereby determine the amount of pleasure a given act would generate. By his calculus, Bentham hoped to put an end to moral dilemma and indecision. Inasmuch as utilitarianism demands that we seek the common good rather than our own good, Bentham recognized that more than reason is required to overcome our native self-interest. Since we are all psychological egoists, these sanctions help us make the right moral choices, adding corrective pains to pleasures egoistically sought.
Natural goods are the only intrinsic goods, desirable in themselves.
As between his own happiness and that of others, utilitarianism requires him to be as strictly impartial as a disinterested and benevolent spectator. That act is therefore good which promotes the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. If the game of push-pin furnish more pleasure, it is more valuable than either. Not all have accepted this. It would be absurd that, while in estimating all other things quality is considered as well as quantity, the estimation of pleasure should be supposed to depend on quantity alone.