John Stuart Mill Vs Pojman

1. Thesis Statement: John Stuarts Mills Theory of Utilitarianism is correct and valid as it was then.2. State what you will argue: Utilitarianism gives us a quantifiable method to live one's life, Utilitarianism affirms the importance of happiness as the goal of human life, finally it has a clear defined goal in maximizing good and minimizing bad.3. Transition: His theory remains relevant because it gives us a practical rules to live by.

Utilitarianism is the concept that “holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.” In summation, the consequentialist theory states, in reference to Dr. Peetush, that morally “good” actions are those that promote “the greatest good for the greatest number of people.” For instance, if a utilitarian were faced with the dilemma of having to kill an innocent for the welfare of 100 other innocents, he would justify this action as morally correct as it, according to Hedonic Calculus, quantitatively produces the most benefit for the largest amount of people. Although utilitarianism is seemingly attractive, it is difficult to digest, as there are several key fallacies that unhinge the theory. This paper will criticize utilitarianism via Louis P. Pojman’s “no-rest” and “justice” objections and the utilitarian’s respective rebuttals, followed by further defense against utilitarianism.

Utilitarianism also known as the principle of utility is an ethical theory proposed by early philosophers. This theory implies that actions are only judged by its consequences whether they are good or bad. One should perform a particular action because it will yield the best results for all. This approach also analysis the cost and benefit relationship. The downfall with this theory is that not everyone benefits (Fremgen, 2016).

Utilitarianism is a theory which implies that “end justifies the means,” through intentions, virtues, or rules that are also ethically important. This theory in normative ethics means that moral action is the one that maximizes utility. Utilitarians believe the purpose of life is to increase pleasure and happiness, and decrease pain and unhappiness in the world. There have been objections against utilitarianism, in which critics believe that it gives the wrong answer to moral questions. J.S. Mills was a utilitarian, who believed we should pursue our happiness, who has been misinterpreted by many critics. Below are some utilitarian objections followed by J.S. Mills response.

Act Utilitarianism is a long standing and well supported philosophical argument that when boiled down to its most basic elements, can be described as creating “the greatest good for the greatest number” (122). Such was the sentiment of John Stuart Mill, one of act utilitarianism’s (also known as just utilitarianism) greatest pioneers, and promoters. Mills believed that his theory of always acting in a way that achieved the greatest net happiness was both superior to other philosophical theories and also more beneficial to the general public. However, as often occurs in the field of philosophy, there were many detractors to Mill’s ideas. Two specifically strong arguments are known as the doctrine of the swine, as well as man’s lack of time. While both certainly present valid arguments against Utilitarianism, neither is damning of the theory altogether.

Given the John Mill’s principle, this essay will take the stand that the arguments used to support utilitarianism are not effective.

This work has probably received more analysis than any other work on utilitarianism available. However, I seek to do here what many others have been unable to accomplish so far. I hope to, in five paragraphs, cover each of the chapters of Utilitarianism in enough depth to allow any reader to decide whether or not they subscribe to Mill's doctrine, and if so, which part or parts they subscribe to. I do this with the realization that much of Mill's deliberation in the text will be completely gone. I suggest that anyone who seeks to fully understand Mill's work should read it at length.

John Stuart Mill was an influential English philosopher during the nineteenth century. His works mostly consisted of moral theories. For example, Mill discusses how a society should function as a whole by their moral values. One of Mill’s work, Utilitarianism, is one of the best known moral theories that focused on the idea that actions should produce the end result- happiness. Utilitarianism focused on the core idea that, if an action is morally right or wrong depends on the end result. The purpose of a morally right or wrong idea is if it will improve the life of others, not just the individual who is producing the pleasure.

Utilitarianism is an interesting theory because it is an effort to provide an answer to any moral question “What ought a man to do?” The answer is that he should act so as to produce the best consequences possible. In the idea of consequences the Utilitarian is all of the bad and good created by the act, whether the act has already occurred or if the act is still ongoing. If the difference in the results or consequences of these acts is not that different, Utilitarians would not regard the difference between them as a moral issue. According to Mill, “acts should be classified as morally right or wrong only if the consequences are of such significance that a person would wish to see the agent compelled, not merely persuaded and exhorted, to act in the preferred manner.”

In his essay, Utilitarianism Mill elaborates on Utilitarianism as a moral theory and responds to misconceptions about it. Utilitarianism, in Mill’s words, is the view that »actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.«1 In that way, Utilitarianism offers an answer to the fundamental question Ethics is concerned about: ‘How should one live?’ or ‘What is the good or right way to live?’.

Utilitarianism is a moral theory which was created by John Stuart Mill. John Stuart Mill said that Utilitarianism is “doing the act that creates the most pleasure, with the least pain, for the most people.” (17.Mill.) Utilitarianism has to do with people’s happiness since Utilitarian’s see that every act you do should be creating the most pleasure for the most people. The theory of Utilitarianism does not always worry about just one single person, but worries about the greater good for all people. Utilitarian’s can see a single person as a utility if the one person is benefiting many other people. John Stuart Mill discusses a lot about humans and their pleasures and different levels of pleasure and happiness they experience. He also gives many examples of how humans seek pleasures in life. He believes that there are different levels of pleasure, which is measured by Utils. Mill also says that having desires comes with what we can see, essentially, the more we can see something the more desire we will have for it. Mill speaks strictly from a Utilitarian view point

Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory, as explained by the philosopher Mill. Given several choices, a utilitarian would pick the morally correct choice by using the Greatest Happiness Principle (487). By looking at whether the consequences of an action will produce the greater happiness for the greater number of people than another action would, one can

This paper will describe Utilitarianism, discuss both strengths and weaknesses of it and evaluate the theory as whole. Even though it is noble to attempt to follow utilitarianism, it is difficult to follow it in every aspect of decision making. It is difficult to follow as there are no set rules. As long as the act increases goodness for the majority, it is utilitarian. This is problematic for individuals that are not in the majority group in our society.

Utilitarianism, or the Greatest Happiness Principle, states that the morality of an action should be judged based on the extent to which it produces happiness, or the opposite of happiness—an action is good as long as the result is happiness, and deemed bad if it results in pain. A clearer understanding of what Utilitarianism is can be gained by John Stuart Mill’s characterization of what it is not. He states, “I believe that the very imperfect notion ordinarily formed of its meaning, is the chief obstacle which impedes its reception; and that could it be cleared, even from only the grosser misconceptions, the question would be greatly simplified, and a large proportion of its difficulties removed” (Mill, 2007, p. 4). In defining Utilitarianism, Mill dispels common misconceptions that are held about Utilitarianism in order to give the reader a clearer understanding of the doctrine and the rationales that support it.

Utilitarianism is rooted in the thesis that an action or practice is right (when compared to any alternative action or practice) if it leads to the greatest possible balance of good consequences or to the least possible balance of bad consequences in the world as a whole. (13) This theory discusses how as humans we should pursue our lives. John Mill, a philosopher, supported the Utilitarianism perspective, known as, "The Greatest Happiness"