Monday, June 15, 2009

Notes on John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism pt. 1

John Stuart Mill -- Utilitarianism
 
Greatest Happiness Principle --> the ultimate end (for the sake of which all other things are desirable) is an existence exempt as far as possible from pain and as rich as possible in enjoyments
 
  • the ultimate end is the standard of morality --> the rules and precepts for human conduct
  • the happiness that forms the utilitarian standard of what is right in conduct is not the agents own happiness but that of all concerned
  • when it is between ones own happiness and that of others utilitarianism requires one to be strictly impartial as a disinterested and benevolent spectator
  • Those who have had opportunities of experience, habits of self-consciousness and self observation are best equipped with means of comparison

example ---> The complete spirit of the ethics of Utility can be found in Jesus' Gold Rule --> to do as one would be done by and to love ones neighbor as oneself --> this constitutes the ideal perfection of utilitarian morality

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