When I said I had never met a utilitarian, I meant, literally, that I have never even met someone who claimed to be a utilitarian. When I said that I am sure that there are sincere utilitarians who try their best to use the doctrine to guide their actions, I meant exactly that.
As far as I am concerned, someone who tries to be a utilitarian really is a utilitarian.
I thought you might be suggesting that no-one is actually a utilitarian, although they might believe they are.
When I said I had never met a utilitarian, I meant, literally, that I have never even met someone who claimed to be a utilitarian. When I said that I am sure that there are sincere utilitarians who try their best to use the doctrine to guide their actions, I meant exactly that.
As far as I am concerned, someone who tries to be a utilitarian really is a utilitarian.