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Mill Utilitarianism Summary

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Utilitarian Summaries Mill’s theory of Utilitarianism is based off the Greatest Happiness Principle, which states that actions are considered moral when they promote good or the happiness of oneself or others and immoral when they promote the reverse affect. Mill continued to direct this statement towards the concept of pain and pleasure. People often base their personal happiness on the presence of pleasure and the absence of pain. Mills discusses pleasure and the root of pleasure to mankind. When discussing pleasure in humans, it is not always a matter of simply the presence of that pleasure but often the question remains quality vs. quantity. Miles discussed that even the poorest of humans would rather be a human than be the richest of
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John Stuart Mill, one of the most influential philosopher of the nineteenth century, created a principle that states “actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness”. This is known as the Greatest Happiness Principle which focuses on what a man ought to do to promote happiness and prevention of unhappiness. When it comes to consequences in utilitarianism, this is what categorizes an action under “right” or “wrong”. Mill’s definition of happiness is based on the amount of pain and pleasure present in the consequence of the action. Happiness is the intended pleasure and absence of pain whereas unhappiness is pain and the deprivation of

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According to Mill, a utilitarian would base their moral decisions around the “greatest happiness principle” in which the general happiness and pleasure of the group serves as the most significant consideration. In making a moral decision, utilizing utilitarianism can have both positives and negatives. From one perspective, it can be considered incredibly selfless as the well being of an entire group can drive an individual to make personal sacrifices to their own greater good. However, not only would this be unlikely, but from a utilitarian perspective, it would be a waste as the resignation contributes nothing to the overall happiness. The two most notable favorable factors are that it provides an absolute solution to every problem while

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Mill’s system of ethics, Utilitarianism, is focused on promoting the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Mill evaluates the moral actions in favor of the quality of the consequences that ensue. For Mill, an action is right insofar as its consequences yield the most happiness. Mill is arguing for ethical good, he is more concerned with the objective consequences instead of the quality of the will of the agent. The scope of his morality encompasses sentient beings.

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He also states that the choice of one pleasure over another by most or all is chosen with no moral obligation by choosing it (Mill, pg. 11). With this Principle, he is concluding that morals can be objective, and he also uses the ideas of Utilitarianism to support that as well. Utilitarianism is the idea that the right thing to do is what benefits the majority, the more quantitative option. In Mill's piece on Utilitarianism, he states “According to the Greatest Happiness Principle, as above explained, the ultimate end, with reference to and for the sake of which all other things are desirable (whether we are considering our own good or that

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Theories that derived from these past two theories are the theory that develop over actions done by people and what they base their actions upon. A theory that can relate to this idea is “Utilitarianism” made by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill states that action are morally right and wrong depending on their effects that occur later. The only thing that really changes is the result of the that are produced from the choice. Utilitarianism is all based on cause and effect what we decide there will be an effect later on that will either right or wrong based on our decision. There was one philosopher who made clear that moral philosophy and every decision we made was for our happiness and was always no wrong choice.

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Utilitarianism is stated as, “Utilitarianism is the theory that an action is right if and only if it results in at least as much well-being as any alternative action.” While Kant described Kant’s moral theory as, “ right actions have moral value only if they are done with a ‘good will’.” Both theories attempt to reach positive results that benefit others; however, Kant focuses on doing whatever it takes to help others and not use them. While utilitarianism is when someone may do whatever it takes to earn or increase happiness. It does not matter whatever the action is as long as there is a result of happiness Most utilitarians think that sometimes people are not to blame for performing actions that we generally think of as very

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John Mill’s was famous for his formulation “greatest happiness principle”. It means that one should act so as to produce the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. One of the greatest contributions that Mill made to this was his fight for the qualitative separation of pleasures. Mill felt that intellectual and moral pleasures were superior to physical forms of pleasure. In this work he even separated happiness and contentment believing that the happiness is of higher value than the contentment.

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The ethical theory of Utilitarianism provides a vague description of determining right actions from wrong actions as well as justification for why the particular actions are right, or wrong to begin with (Mill, 2008). Mills characteristics of Utilitarianism yields the greatest good for the greatest number, living not only by the general rule and what is expected. It reflects that doing the greatest good, in the long run, will have a more positive effect on individuals and give them a sense of respect. Inflicting excruciating pain on an animal is a characteristic that will not go over well with a member of an animal activist group; it is not displaying right for pleasure, but instead pain.

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General Remarks In the first chapter of the essay utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill begins by observing something of a crisis in moral thinking: essentially, people have been unable to come to any agreement on what philosophies the notions of "right" and "wrong" are based on. Having portrayed this problem, Mill introduces utilitarianism as a prospective solution. He argues that it is already indirectly used as a standard, and that it achieves the requirements of being a first principle. It is imperative to note that Mill explains morality 's purpose as bringing about a specific state of the world.

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According to Mill, humanly is capable of having higher pleasures as opposed to animals. These gratifications are more attractive and important than others (John, Utilitarian, 1861). Mill suggested criterion to assists in determining the happiness which is quantitative and precious. He suggested that if there might be an individual or some individuals with all or at least some pleasure and do have an experience when it come to making decision

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According to John Stuart Mill, he believes that more pleasure with no pain equals happiness. He names this theory Utilitarianism. The way I understand Utilitarianism is that the more pleasure and the least pain equals a happier person, and the least pleasure more pain equals an unhappy person. Though Utilitarianism goes further than that. It goes to the extent that it accounts to the happiness for everyone evolved in a situation.

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In my essay I will discuss what the utilitarian “principle of greatest happiness” is for Mill and what the “moral law” is for Kant. I will also present the four formulations of the categorical imperative and what makes them an ethical principle or practical in my point of view. In the conclusion of my essay I will give my view on the principles being and tell if they are possible to follow. The “principle of greatest happiness” is an action that is right as it maximizes general utility in which Mill pinpoints with happiness. Basically, each person’s happiness counts as much as the next persons.

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According to Mill the Greatest Happiness Principle (GHP) or Utility, is the making of decisions that will produce the greatest amount of happiness and avoiding the choices that will produce a great amount of the reverse of happiness. Happiness is characterized by intended pleasure and the lacking of pain. Mill has stated that actions are right if they promote happiness but they are wrong if they produce the reverse of happiness (pain). He also states that the only desirable ends are those that involve pleasure and freedom from pain. Things are desirable because they help reduce pain or produce pleasure.

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388 Words | 2 Pages

In Utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill writes his definitions of utilitarianism and how it should work in life. I will write three important passages that Mill argue in his work, then I will explain how they oppose consuming meat. Mill’s first statement is the Greatest Happiness Principle. He states that “happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain” (p2).

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What ought a man to do? This is a question that universally seeks solution when we get to use the concept of utilitarianism, and thus calls for consideration on some aspect of our society to able to answer it. The principle of utilitarianism from normative ethics best provides solutions to it. It was developed by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). The concept of utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of an action.

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