felicific calculus

== English == === Etymology === Widely attributed to British philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), but apparently used only by his successors. === Noun === felicific calculus (historical, philosophy, economics) A quasi-mathematical technique proposed by 19th-century utilitarian ethical theorists for determining the net amount of happiness, pleasure, or utility resulting from an action, sometimes regarded as a precursor of cost-benefit analysis. ==== Synonyms ==== hedonic calculus, hedonistic calculus, moral arithmetic, utility calculus === References ===