John Stuart Mill's Echoes From The Cave: Philosophical Conversation

When it comes to happiness, people acknowledges it as the feelings of pleasure and satisfaction one gets from doing something that makes them happy. The principles of happiness are researched by philosophers such as Thomas Carlyle and John Stuart Mill. John Stuart Mill’s autobiography, A Crisis in My Mental History: One Stage Onward, shows that he believes the happiness of oneself is not meant to be forced. However, the enjoyment of itself should allow itself to be discovered on its own, and “find happiness by the by”. I agree with John Mill’s statement of an individual’s happiness not to be constrained, but to appear naturally.

Mill determines that there is not a great amount of support for the utilitarian principle, but that is mostly due to it being vastly misunderstood by a large number of people that choose to discredit it, instead of trying to learn its intricacies. The two main criticisms of utilitarianism are opposites of each other in terms of belief. The first group to oppose the happiness theory draws their conclusions from the typical sense of the word utility, where it typically stands for the opposition of pleasure. The other group to oppose this theory holds the opposite view and thinks that utilitarianism bases everything on pleasure. Neither of these are accurate representations of what utilitarianism is. The author defines utilitarianism as

John Stuart Mill begins the explanation of his version of Utilitarianism by replying to common misconceptions that people hold regarding the theory, and as a result describes his own theory more clearly. The main issue that Mill raises is that people misinterpret the word “utility” as in opposition to “pleasure”. However, utility is actually defined as pleasure itself and also the absence of pain.

John Stuart Mill’s defends utilitarianism, an ethical theory according to which, as he puts it, “actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness” (155 Ethics). In other words, actions are morally right if they make us happy and actions are morally wrong if they make us unhappy. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory in which an action is morally right if it increases the amount of pleasure and morally wrong if it decreases the amount of pleasure in the world.

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

John Stuart Mill, in his autobiography, “A Crisis in my Mental History: One Stage Onward” (1909-04), argues that people are chasing happiness, which is making them unhappy. He supports his claim that gives examples of things that used to be enjoyable and fun, but are now being taken away. He says that people find happiness when not looking for it. Mill also says that you will find happiness through the happiness of other and if you make others happy. John’s purpose is for people to realize that they need to stop going around and always thinking that they have to be happy and just let themselves be happy naturally. Mill’s tone is serious towards all readers so that they really think about what he has to say.

According to John Stuart Mill, utilitarianism is the concept in which “actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness.” He argues that happiness should be distinguished between high and low pleasures. Hence, pleasures that engage the higher faculties of the human body are seen as more satisfying than the baser pleasures in life, such as watching movies with friends. Mill follows by arguing that utilitarianism, in the end, can be seen as morally binding. This is true because if utilitarianism were to be adopted as an ethical stance, people would naturally embody the standards of utility and happiness as if they were second nature or law. Thus, Mill’s links happiness, which he describes as intended

Throughout Philosophy, morality is a central component. Although, each scholar views the definition of morality differently, the common underlining theme is that of individuals striving to become better and think for themselves. Morality plays a big part in utilitarianism. Many philosophers have defined utilitarianism in a variety of different ways like Jeremy Bentham who believes an action is right if happiness is promoted and wrong if it reverse happiness, including but not limited to the person happiness who did the action but everyone that was affected by it (Duignan). One of utilitarianism views is the action that has the most good is the morally right action (Driver). The foundation of morality in utilitarianism comes from utility or intrinsic value (Skorupski 256). In utilitarianism, actions are evaluated by their utility instead of intrinsic properties of the actions (Skorupski 256). Utilitarianism says certain acts are right or wrong within themselves, making us perform them or avoid them entirely. On the contrary, concepts of the good go hand and hand with that of rights and obligation, causing obligation to be determined in reference to intrinsic value (Skorupski 256). John Stuart Mill’s theory of utilitarianism clearly breaks down this concept’s definition and structure by focusing on its morality, proof of validity, and connection between justice and utility in the study of thinking.

“The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals, Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness (Utilitarianism, Mill). This theory of Utilitarianism was generated by the original Utilitarians, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. Mill says: “Happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure” (Utilitarianism, Mill). Furthermore, these basic principles of Utilitarianism are located under the Greatest Happiness Principle which states that actions are considered moral when they promote happiness and immoral when they promote

John Stuart Mill suggests that a person's ethical decision-making process should be based solely upon the amount of happiness that the person can receive. Although Mill fully justifies himself, his approach lacks certain criteria for which happiness can be considered. Happiness should be judged, not only by pleasure, but by pain as well. This paper will examine Mill's position on happiness, and the reasoning behind it. Showing where there are agreements and where there are disagreements will critique the theory of Utilitarianism. By showing the problems that the theory have will reveal what should make up ethical decision-making. John Stuart Mill supports and explains his reasoning in his book, Utilitarianism. Mill illustrates the

“The end may justify the means as long as there is something that justifies the end.” ― Leon Trotsky. Utilitarianism, simply defined is the greatest good for the greatest number of people. This is a very old philosophy that is believed to be founded by Jeremy Bentham, an English philosopher and social reformer. Utilitarianism is a complex issue, it is one that many struggles with. Many people do not like this view because they simply do not like other people, in fact, James Alan Gardner went so far as to boldly say “I do not care about the greatest good for the greatest number . . . Most people are poop-heads I do not care about them at all.”. Many agree with what he says although they may not agree with how he says it. It is a view that has been argued upon for over a hundred years. Many people say that it is always right while some say it is dependent upon the scenario and then you have the people like James Alan Gardner who would flat out say it is wrong. This paper will present the views of Utilitarianism, elaborate on them and proceed to explain how we may or may not apply them in our own Christian context.

Utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical theory. An action is right or wrong based on its consequences. John Stuart Mill was an important philosopher in developing the idea of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism holds that any action that results in a greater amount of happiness in the world is a right action and any action that results in pain or less happiness is wrong. Utilitarianism can be divided into different versions.

John Stuart Mill, English philosopher and social reformer, one of the most influential figures of the nineteenth century, produced such large philosophical and literary output that we are able to apply many of his ideas and theories into everyday issues and topics. His writing includes a wide range of subjects in ethics, logic, religion, economics, current affairs, and social and political philosophy. His most significant writings include Principles of Political Economy, Utilitarianism, and The Subjection of Women. With strong influences from his father and his father 's mentor, Jeremy Bentham, he adopted their ideologies and became a leading figure in utilitarianism. There’s no doubt that utilitarianism can shape public policy, but how affectively it can define moral principles in a universal scale remains a topic of debate.

Mill endeavours to answer any misguided judgments about utilitarianism, and in this way outline the theory. Mill observes that numerous individuals misconstrue utilitarianism by interoperating utility as contrary to pleasure. Actually, utility is characterized as pleasure itself, and

John Stuart Mill published his theories into a book he called Utilitarianism. Within this book, Mill completes his theory on the conception of happiness. To begin, “The creed which accepts the foundation of morals, utility, or the greatest happiness principle, holds the actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.” (Mill, pg. 278) Thus, utilitarianism is the basis of the promotion of happiness towards the human race, also known as utility. Mill describes utilitarianism as the promotion of trying to make everyone happy, and by happiness Mill means intended pleasure with the absence of pain. Mill believes that pleasure and the absence of pain are the only things truly desirable as ends in themselves.