Utilitarianism: The Classical Version of The Theory
Utilitarianism: The Classical Version of The Theory
Utilitarianism: The Classical Version of The Theory
In reality, utility is defined as pleasure itself, and the absence of pain. Thus, another name
for utility is the Greatest Happiness Principle.
This principle holds that "actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote
happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is
intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of
pleasure."
However, utilitarianism does not say that it is moral for people simply to pursue what
makes them personally happy. Rather, morality is dictated by the greatest happiness
principle; moral action is that which increases the total amount of utility in the world.
Pursuing one's own happiness at the expense of social happiness would not be moral
under this framework.
Mill argues that utility is not simply a measurement of the psychological feeling of
pleasure; rather, there are different qualities of pleasure, and only people with a broad
range of experiences can dictate which pleasures are of a higher quality. Thus, all
actions and experiences are not judged by one reductive standard, but rather
according to a variety of different qualities of pleasure in correspondence with the type
of experience. Higher pleasures would be weighted heavily by utilitarianism, and Mill
argues that they are therefore not cheapened by the utility measurement.
Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.
Alternative Proxies: