John Stuart Mill's The Argument Of Utilitarianism

The Argument of Utilitarianism In “Utilitarianism” John Stuart Mill presents the case of Utilitarianism as a moral theory. Moral theories are structured as a set of statements used to predict a set of factors or concept. Moral theories are thought to be universal and tell which action is the right one in any given situation. Utilitarianism is one the most influential and best known moral theories, often called “The Greatest Happiness Principles”. 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 …show more content…
Happiness is pleasure and the absence of pain versus unhappiness which is pain and the absences of pleasure. Mill thinks pleasures and happiness are the same. If something brings you pleasure, then you are happy. Just as if you are happy something has brought you pleasure. Take for example food, it is only desired to stop and/or prevent hunger which brings happiness to the person starving. Together the theory of value and consequentialism make the principle of theory. This says “pleasure and freedom from pain are the only the only things desirable as ends” -that is they are the only intrinsic goods. Intrinsic goods are thought to be sought for its own sake not for the sake of what it leads to. Mill argues pleasure and pain are the only thing worth seeking for their own sake. Anything else worth seeking is only worth seeking because it leads to pleasure and/or freedom from