John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism

Improved Essays
Show More
In this paper, I will argue for the refutal of John Stuart Mill's ethical hypothesis of utilitarianism as a means of being appropriate for managing our ethical conduct as a society. At the center of the guideline of utility is the rule that we ought to complete deeds which yield the most joy; such activities are perceived as right. Deeds which deliver the inverse of joy ought to be avoided; these activities are perceived as wrong. (Mill, p. 461). Utilitarianism likewise urges us to contemplate the amount of joy, as well as the quality of it. We should search for the greatest amounts of joy. Regarding administration of utilitarian standards, Mill contends that the standards of the moral framework can be upheld in a similar fashion to those of …show more content…
This one moral principle is applicable over various moral frameworks; the Bible, the Quran, and it can likewise be found in the laws of various nations. It is law which can't be broken, as murder is viewed as an immoral act in every one of these frameworks, without regard to the uniqueness of the situation. In utilitarianism, murder can be advocated in a few circumstances. Take for instance a group under the abusive control of a ruler who causes significant torment for the people and would not surrender power despite cruelty and misuse. Assume someone rebels and kills this ruler, in this manner saving the people of this society. In utilitarianism, that person's activity is to be hailed, as long as it achieved the most joy for the greatest number possible. Further, Mill diminishes God to a tactic towards completion of joy. This conflicts with scripture regarding God’s concern about the joy of his creation. God knows the most ideal approach for humankind to be happy. I would contend that it isn't through the ethics of Mill. It is through an authentic connection with God, created by the sacrifice of Jesus, and allowed by the action of the Holy Spirit. It is simply the day by day demonstration of denying desires of the flesh and following the path of Jesus. Pleasures isn't the consent of the lion's share. It isn't equity. It isn't the aversion of agony or suffering. It I my belief that the ultimate joy for the greatest number is achieved by obedience to the will of

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Mill's Consequences Of Utilitarianism In Mill And Kant
    • 1235 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Mill's Consequences Of Utilitarianism In Mill And Kant

    When he [Kant] begins to deduce from this precept [i.e. CI] any of the actual duties of morality, he fails, almost grotesquely, to show that there would be any contradiction, any logical (not to say physical) impossibility, in the adoption by all rational beings of the most outrageously immoral rules of conduct. All he shows is that the consequences of their universal adoption would be such as no one would choose to incur. Here Mill considers of consequences in moral action, as we will see, Mill’s consequentialism rather than Utilitarianism is the direct charge made to Kant, these two notions are not same, the utiitlirms principle is seek happiness and avoid pain, precisely moral action would be conducted on maximizing happiness and minimizing…

    • 1235 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    John Stuart Mill's 'Utilitarianism'
    • 1497 Words
    • 6 Pages

    John Stuart Mill's 'Utilitarianism'

    It is believed that it is too strict a requirement for Utilitarianism to imply that we should always act solely to maximize happiness. It is then asking too much of people to be always centrally focused on promoting happiness for the general human population. Mill responds to such criticism by stating that “…no system of ethics requires that the sole motive of all we do shall be a feeling of duty,” but rather that “utilitarian moralists have gone beyond almost everyone in asserting that the motive has nothing to do with the morality of the action though it has much to do with the worth of the agent.” (13) This therefore, asserts that the motives behind an action will have nothing to do with whether or not we should complete an action solely based on its morality. He states that the great majority of these good actions are intended not for the benefit of the world, but for that of its…

    • 1497 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    How Does John Stuart Mill Promote Happiness
    • 1205 Words
    • 5 Pages

    How Does John Stuart Mill Promote Happiness

    John Stuart Mill—a philosopher whom believed that another name for utility is the greatest form of happiness, a principal lead by the clause “Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness are intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure”. With this, Mill presents the concept of utility as a stem from the presence of pleasure and the absence of pain within basic desires. According to Mill, the more valuable a pleasure becomes, the more of likelihood that an individual will employ higher faculties. Mill often juxtaposes human values of pleasure with that of pain.…

    • 1205 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    John Stuart Mill Hedonism Analysis
    • 1387 Words
    • 6 Pages

    John Stuart Mill Hedonism Analysis

    Introduction: John Stuart Mill, although accepts the Radicals legacy in the utilitarian domain, he adds to and supplements their points of views, especially in the areas of human motivation and the true nature of happiness. When we read through Mill’s approach on happiness, we see how a lot of Radicals’ assumptions are modified, this can be seen in the second chapter of his essay: Utilitarianism. The Proportionality Doctrine is one of the most prominent concepts that emerge from his writing which suggests that actions are “right” when doing them leads to the highest amount of happiness as a lack of pain, and the reverse of this constitutes a “wrong” action. Here, happiness means pleasure which comes with the absence of pain, and unhappiness…

    • 1387 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Direct Utilitarian Analysis
    • 1489 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Direct Utilitarian Analysis

    In this analysis, I intend to establish definitions of direct and indirect normative utilitarianism based on J.S. Mill’s “Utilitarianism” as well as critique of Bernard Williams’ scenario of George the chemist. Mill’s principle of utility describes the idea that one’s actions are morally correct in that they produce happiness for oneself or his or her community and incorrect when they promote pain or suffering. To further capitalize the importance of the principle of utility, Mill makes it out to be the foremost precept of morality, or the “First Principle” of morality. When Mill establishes the principle of utility as the “First Principle” of morality, he means that it is the foundation of one’s moral compass, that it is similar to the “roots…

    • 1489 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Utilitarianism Is The Greatest Happiness Principle, By John Stuart Mill
    • 714 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Utilitarianism Is The Greatest Happiness Principle, By John Stuart Mill

    Utilitarianism as defined by Mill is not clear and cogent. I disagree with his argument because I think it is too broad and too exaggerated. I do not believe that if something creates mass amounts of happiness that it should be done. It is not genuine ethics because it lacks metaphysics. There are many gaps in the principle that are not valid to his argument.…

    • 714 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    John Stuart Mill's The Argument Of Utilitarianism
    • 1146 Words
    • 5 Pages

    John Stuart Mill's The Argument Of Utilitarianism

    According to Mill “Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness” (John Stuart Mill). In its simplest form utilitarianism can be defined as actions morally permissible if and only if they produce at least as much net happiness as any other available action. Its core idea is that whether actions are morally right or wrong depends on their effects. When making a decision for one’s self he/she must consider what will bring themselves the most happiness. When making a decision that will affects other…

    • 1146 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Moral Theory Of Mill's Greatest Happiness Principles
    • 1145 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Moral Theory Of Mill's Greatest Happiness Principles

    Through Mill’s view on Utilitarianism there emerges a core moral theory called the greatest happiness principle. However, I believe that Mill’s Greatest Happiness Principle is false. I believe this because after examining his theory I noticed several flaws within his theory. Before I say what is wrong with Mill’s argument and theory I want to address the definition of the greatest happiness principle and what all it encompasses. Mill believes that “actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, [and] wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness” (Mill,97).…

    • 1145 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Summary Of John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism
    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Summary Of John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism

    In Chapter II of Utilitarianism Mill raises a variety of objections to the moral theory of utility or the Greatest Happiness Principle. In Mill’s observation people misinterpret utilitarianism as an oppression to pleasure. In reality, a utility is known as pleasure itself. The principle of utilitarianism holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness. In this principle happiness are the intended pleasure and the absence of pain.…

    • 481 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Utilitarianism And Morality, By John Stuart Mill And Peter Singer
    • 1033 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Utilitarianism And Morality, By John Stuart Mill And Peter Singer

    In Mill’s essay, he claims that the essence of Utilitarianism is summarized by the Greatest Happiness Principle. He goes on to explain the principle and writes, “actions…

    • 1033 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Immanuel Kant And John Stuart Mill
    • 1751 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Essay On Immanuel Kant And John Stuart Mill

    He argues that the amount of suffering and happiness is what indicates the morality of an action and thus strongly believes that end results of an action are what help decide a moral action. He claims that an act is good or right insofar as it brings the greatest amount of happiness to the greatest amount of people. By happiness he means pleasure and joy and the lack of pain or suffering. From his point of view, the happiness derived from an action doesn 't even have to be that person 's own. Rather, as long as it makes more people happy than unhappy, it is morally right.…

    • 1751 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill Analysis
    • 1055 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill Analysis

    The recent events below have led to a series of protests over the past year but recently in the media the public has been advocating for the rights of African Americans in America based off of the neglect of the justice system for these young black men. These situations were all against young black males that had absolutely no reason to be murdered as a means to a solution. As these three situations only stand as representations of the many black male to be victimized by the police system in America it also shows us that although we have made strides in race relations and equality we still have a very long and tiring journey to go to be fully accepted by our fellow counterpart. Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times by a Chicago…

    • 1055 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Analysis Of Charles Taylor's Utilitarianism
    • 1852 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Analysis Of Charles Taylor's Utilitarianism

    Ethics is a branch of philosophy that, at its core, seeks to understand and to determine how human actions can be judged as right or wrong. There are multiple variations and subclasses of ethical theories. These theories that help us with decision making can be challenged or critiqued. In particular Mill’s Utilitarianism, an ethical theory that promoted the greatest happiness for the greatest number, was criticized by Charles Taylor in his article The Diversity of Goods. The article written by Charles Taylor argues a utilitarian and consequentialist conception of morality leaves out essential aspects of human experience that are integral to our moral lives.…

    • 1852 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill Essay
    • 1398 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill Essay

    In “Utilitarianism,” John Stuart Mill argues that consequences of an action are all that really matter. Defining utilitarianism at its core, is a theory holding that the moral rightness and/or wrongness of an action depends entirely on the consequences of that action. Thereby agreeing that an action or decision is considered good if it generates happiness and bad if it generates the reverse. In his ethical approach, Mill suggests that the measure of success and happiness depends on how many people and how much happiness was developed as a result of that action, or the “greatest happiness principle.” This principle, Mill declares, “holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the…

    • 1398 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    What Is Novartis Ethical?
    • 1113 Words
    • 5 Pages

    What Is Novartis Ethical?

    The heart of Utilitarianism lies in the “Greatest Happiness Principle,” which establishes that “actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness.” [Mill 1979: 7] It is not simply the happiness of one person that is measured, but the happiness of everyone is considered. In Mill’s words, it is the “greatest amount of happiness altogether.” [Mill 1979: 11] Thus, if patent was granted, and research encouraged, studies will produce results that can cure hundred more diseases and million more lives.…

    • 1113 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings