J.S. Mill’s Moral Theory
Ernest Cabrera
PHI-305
March 6, 2016
Grand Canyon University
J.S. MIll’s Moral Theory
Right or Wrong? This is something as humans that we struggle with every day, with utilitarianism it is the same thing. We struggle with making the morally right decision and try to base it around the right or wrongs. With Utilitarianism there are two forefathers that we talked about in class that Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart MIll. When we evaluated both Bentham and MIll both men have the same general mind frame but Bentham is more of a quantitative mindset instead of MIll being more set into a qualitative mind frame. From our discussion in class I feel like MIll is set toward a more …show more content…
First of with Mill, he did have some ideas from Bentham that should be changed. From our notes Mill was a man that believed that not all humans had the same type of desires, some prefered a high taste of things and others are okay with the low taste. “Intellectual pleasures are the highest and once tasted no one reverts back to lower pleasures” (Class Notes, Sherman). This idea from our class notes really shows us how much of a qualitative mindset he had for people and their pleasures and that like I said before not everyone wants that high need for great pleasures. Bentham on the other hand was a very quantitative approach to the whole utilitarianism theory.With Betham being a forefather of utilitarianism he really pushed for it to be related to quantifiable ethics. According to Bentham he wanted it to be a very self satisfaction and for a person to be happy no matter what. “How instensly the pleasure is felt, how long the pleasure last” (philosophy pages.com), this quote really is a clean and easy way to show that Bentham really want a person to be happy all the time and did not matter how long it lasted but as long as it happened. With both Mill and Bentham we can clearly see that happiness is a major part of both of their ideas and theories. Even with both wanting complete happiness this clarifies that Mill’s theory is more …show more content…
Mill a man that was a major impact to the utilitarianism process, yes his theory seems great but like most theories there can be some problems with it. During my research and from our class notes I saw a major weakness would be his understanding of others happiness levels. Many people do not have the same happiness levels and I feel like some people do not want the self happiness for themselves but for others and his theory does not take that into account. Along with that weakness of not understanding others happiness levels he also has a weakness in the account that he does not look at the cultural aspect of people and how they are unable to do certain things even if it does make them happy. Do not get me wrong there is many strengths as well but one that stood out to me is knowing right and wrong the basics of ethics. People need to understand whatever makes them happy they should do and they know whether it is right or wrong and if it is worth it with the consequences that can come from it also. When it comes to understanding either Bentham or Mill, I would say that Mill takes the crown because his has a less selfish mindframe behind it. Yes they both can be argued much more but I feel like I would side more with Mill based on his understanding of happiness. Finally knowing right or wrong and the basic ethical understanding will help you with your happiness and understanding. So it is on us to determine which we prefer and what we would
Ernest Cabrera
PHI-305
March 6, 2016
Grand Canyon University
J.S. MIll’s Moral Theory
Right or Wrong? This is something as humans that we struggle with every day, with utilitarianism it is the same thing. We struggle with making the morally right decision and try to base it around the right or wrongs. With Utilitarianism there are two forefathers that we talked about in class that Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart MIll. When we evaluated both Bentham and MIll both men have the same general mind frame but Bentham is more of a quantitative mindset instead of MIll being more set into a qualitative mind frame. From our discussion in class I feel like MIll is set toward a more …show more content…
First of with Mill, he did have some ideas from Bentham that should be changed. From our notes Mill was a man that believed that not all humans had the same type of desires, some prefered a high taste of things and others are okay with the low taste. “Intellectual pleasures are the highest and once tasted no one reverts back to lower pleasures” (Class Notes, Sherman). This idea from our class notes really shows us how much of a qualitative mindset he had for people and their pleasures and that like I said before not everyone wants that high need for great pleasures. Bentham on the other hand was a very quantitative approach to the whole utilitarianism theory.With Betham being a forefather of utilitarianism he really pushed for it to be related to quantifiable ethics. According to Bentham he wanted it to be a very self satisfaction and for a person to be happy no matter what. “How instensly the pleasure is felt, how long the pleasure last” (philosophy pages.com), this quote really is a clean and easy way to show that Bentham really want a person to be happy all the time and did not matter how long it lasted but as long as it happened. With both Mill and Bentham we can clearly see that happiness is a major part of both of their ideas and theories. Even with both wanting complete happiness this clarifies that Mill’s theory is more …show more content…
Mill a man that was a major impact to the utilitarianism process, yes his theory seems great but like most theories there can be some problems with it. During my research and from our class notes I saw a major weakness would be his understanding of others happiness levels. Many people do not have the same happiness levels and I feel like some people do not want the self happiness for themselves but for others and his theory does not take that into account. Along with that weakness of not understanding others happiness levels he also has a weakness in the account that he does not look at the cultural aspect of people and how they are unable to do certain things even if it does make them happy. Do not get me wrong there is many strengths as well but one that stood out to me is knowing right and wrong the basics of ethics. People need to understand whatever makes them happy they should do and they know whether it is right or wrong and if it is worth it with the consequences that can come from it also. When it comes to understanding either Bentham or Mill, I would say that Mill takes the crown because his has a less selfish mindframe behind it. Yes they both can be argued much more but I feel like I would side more with Mill based on his understanding of happiness. Finally knowing right or wrong and the basic ethical understanding will help you with your happiness and understanding. So it is on us to determine which we prefer and what we would