This is a theory by Mill that seeks to explain that one’s actions are right as they tend to bring happiness and wrong if they produce sadness. Happiness is then defined as the absence of pain. He argues that pleasure can differ in quality and quantity and that peoples achievements should be counted as part of their happiness. This theory is seen to coincide with humans’ social nature. Mill argues that the sole basis of morality in a society in happiness and that everyone desires to be happy. He explains that every other object is a means to happiness or an item of happiness. He explains that justice and human rights exist in a society because they are necessary for people’s happiness. This theory has however being criticized in for many reasons.
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He explains that animals sometimes seem happier than human beings which is not true. Mill quotes that it is better to have an unhappy person than a happy pig, a dissatisfied Socrates is better than a satisfied fool. If the fool or the pig disagree, then it is only because they have not experienced higher pleasures. Mill states that those who have experienced both pleasures prefer the higher ones. The challenge with Mill’s view was the appeal to standards other than happiness in order to differentiate between different kinds of happiness and that if there is another value besides happiness, then he abandons the idea that happiness is the only good thing. In this theory, happiness seems to be over-socialized and is seen to direct humans into obeying a system of rules. This idea of following rules is not an adequate basis of achieving the value of happiness in life. It takes more than just rules to achieve a certain target or desire and much more in creating a human life that is worthy a living. A better definition would be one that explains how we should spend our time working for the good of all of us and that anything we do that affects privately is only justified by making us better or improving our morale to continue
He explains that animals sometimes seem happier than human beings which is not true. Mill quotes that it is better to have an unhappy person than a happy pig, a dissatisfied Socrates is better than a satisfied fool. If the fool or the pig disagree, then it is only because they have not experienced higher pleasures. Mill states that those who have experienced both pleasures prefer the higher ones. The challenge with Mill’s view was the appeal to standards other than happiness in order to differentiate between different kinds of happiness and that if there is another value besides happiness, then he abandons the idea that happiness is the only good thing. In this theory, happiness seems to be over-socialized and is seen to direct humans into obeying a system of rules. This idea of following rules is not an adequate basis of achieving the value of happiness in life. It takes more than just rules to achieve a certain target or desire and much more in creating a human life that is worthy a living. A better definition would be one that explains how we should spend our time working for the good of all of us and that anything we do that affects privately is only justified by making us better or improving our morale to continue