Mill's Utilitarianism Analysis

The main principle of Mill’s utilitarianism is the greatest happiness principle, which is defined as: actions are right insofar as they maximize general utility, which Mill recognizes as happiness (Cahn & Markie, 2009). He argues that happiness is the only source of morality and that people never desire anything but happiness (Cahn & Markie, 2009). Mill supports this claim by displaying that all other objects of people’s desire are either means to happiness, or included in the definition of happiness (Cahn & Markie, 2009). Mill describes happiness as pleasure and the absence of pain, and the only desirable end, the final good (Cahn & Markie, 2009). Every other desirable thing exists either for the pleasure they provide, or as a means to pleasure …show more content…
Moreover, people can exist without happiness, and all virtuous people have become virtuous by abandoning happiness (Cahn & Markie, 2009). Mill responds that it is an exaggeration to say that people cannot be happy (Cahn & Markie, 2009). He insists that happiness, when defined as moments of rapture occurring in a life troubled by few pains, is indeed possible, and would be possible for almost everybody if educational and social arrangements were different (Cahn & Markie, 2009). The major sources of unhappiness are selfishness and a lack of mental cultivation (Cahn & Markie, 2009). Therefore, it is fully within most people’s capabilities to be happy, if their education nurtures the appropriate values (Cahn & Markie, 2009). Additionally, he believes that most of the problems in the world, including poverty and disease, can be reduced by an energetic and wise society devoted to their elimination (Cahn & Markie, 2009). Mill goes on further to say that life without happiness is not worth living (Cahn & Markie, 2009). He argues that life without happiness brings one to an unnatural state of misery, fatalism and even suicide (Cahn & Markie, 2009). Mill explains that happiness is not about pleasurable experiences; rather regarding reaching a state of well being for one’s self and one’s neighbour (Cahn & Markie, 2009). The greatest happiness principle tells us to maximize general happiness (Cahn & Markie, 2009). However, happiness for one may be violating someone else’s or some other group’s rights. For example, enslaving a few might maximize happiness, if the needs of the many are thus met. This is clearly immoral because the moral obligations involving rights are especially strict. For utilitarianism, rights are dependent on general convenience (Cahn & Markie, 2009). Mill argues that once general happiness becomes recognized