(the following is a brief quote from my draft dissertation)    

As interpreted by Dewey, there are two common forms of utilitarianism which might be characterized as the "individualistic" form and the "universalistic" form. The individualistic or simple form of utilitarianism says that individuals act based on what is pleasing to themselves personally. The universalistic form of utilitarianism says that we take into account the needs of others in determining what is pleasing to ourselves.  . . .   Dewey's model of the active self may be seen as occupying a middle ground between individualistic utilitarianism and universalistic utilitarianism. The individual acts prosocially not out of self-interest and not out of a vicarious interest in the self-interest of others, but rather out of an interest in a social system into which she or he projects her or himself. The fact that a mutual interest in potential social systems connects the interests of the individual with the interest of the larger society is not surprising, given that we are by nature social beings. In this sense the individual cannot think of her or himself except in the context of a social system." (read more)

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