John Stuart Mill And Utilitarianism

Humans find themselves right at the top of the sociological tier, shadowed closely by what we as individuals call pets and whom have a sentimental value in our lives. Resource animals on the other hand have contributory value within our lives: they provide us with meat and other important resources. In order to determine the boundaries between how we treat animals as pets and others simply as resources, utilitarian’s see these “resource animals” as instruments. They contemplate the welfare significances of animals as well as the probable welfares for human-beings. The degree to which we influence any animal’s happiness is what really matters. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory stating that an act is justly right if it aids in the greatest

(Mill, 2008)

When a utilitarian is given a chose between two actions they opt to demonstrate the action that will provide the greater good for the greater amount of species. However, pleasures are different for everyone and utilitarian John Stuart Mill saw this as an impending problem and contended that “pleasure should be considered not just in terms of quantity but also quality: that certain kinds of pleasure, or certain ways of satisfying desires, are simply better thanks others” (Mosser,

One could say that we as human-beings could make the choice to abolish animal suffering by finding alternative sources of nutrients found in meats and standing up for animal rights. However, utilitarian’s believe that if the slaughtering of animals for resources benefits more species then that is the action that needs to be taken. If laboratory experiments on animals provides better health for the greater amount of people, then that is a justifiable action. “When given a choice between two acts, utilitarianism states that the act that should be chosen is the one that creates the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people” (Mosser, 2013). Another utilitarian may choose to inflict suffering on animals because his/her need for their resources outweighs the need for the animals pleasure. In other words the enjoyment that comes from eating their meat and taking advantage of their other resources outweighs the suffering they endure before and during the slaughtering process.

As a utilitarian there are many ways to approach the ethical theory of animal rights, however, there are many objections to the theory as well. Utilitarianism holds the greatest happiness principle, but whose greatest happiness are we most likely looking at? Us as human-beings or animals? One would say that animals, like humans