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Chapter 5: Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill

Page history last edited by Paul Ward 15 years ago

 

Paul Maverick B. Ward                                                                                      

 

Contemporary Moral Problems by James E. White (7th Edition)

Library Reference: none

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0495553204/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1233910528&sr=1-1

 

Quote: “By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure.”

 

 

Learning Expectations:

 

I expect to learn more about John Stuart Mill and his insights about Utilitarianism and how it affected the world nowadays. I also expect to learn why Utilitarianism formed a lot of controversies ever since it was implemented back in the past.

 

Review:

 

            On the 5th sub-chapter within the 1st Chapter of the book Contemporary Moral Problems, it discusses about John Stuart Mill and his thoughts about Utilitarianism.

            Utilitarianism is a kind of morality that works if a decision is accepted as a group or majority. The saying that best describe this morality is “Majority Wins”. The more people agreeing on a situation, the more the decision gains authority. Whatever might the decision may be, if it may be a bad one or a good one, as longs as there are more people agreeing on a certain situation, the decided task would be chosen.  The authority of the decision created from a Utilitarian Morality is something that grows much stronger as it gains more followers or supporters. As it grows much powerful, it becomes something that is very difficult to defeat or overcome. An example for this is what Adolf Hitler together with his Nazi buddies did to the Jews. They came to a decision where Jews are much lower than rats. They are spreading the word to other people that killing an animal is much degrading than killing a Jew. For them, it is alright to do this because majority of them came to a decision and supported their cause as a whole. This made the Nazis a difficult barrier to break and overcome. The mass of their supporters grew as the time goes by making them a threat to all nations.

            There is also the image of Utilitarianism on which as long as a decision promotes happiness and that happiness is intended for pleasure, it is ok for them to do the task or decision. As long as pain or hurt is absent for the person that will perform the action, all the things that the person do is agreeable for that person. If a person has the choice between two (2) decisions, that person would choose something that will give that person more pleasure compared to the other one. The pleasure that people get from something is sometimes the base of their decision whatever the consequences may be. There are times when a person knows that the consequences would be fatal or bad for him/her but still insists on doing the task or still goes on with the decision because the thing that would be done gives a lot of pleasure for that person. The pleasure that would be acquired from the decision weighs much heavier than the ethical views of other people. Well, it is somehow sort of selfishness because that person chooses something that would benefit himself only. That person wouldn’t care less to those people around him/her as long as he/she gets what he/she desires to have or obtain.

 

 

Lessons Learned:

 

I have learned more about John Stuart Mill and his insights about Utilitarianism and how it affects the world. An example about Nazi Germans is a clear example for this morality. I also learned about why Utilitarianism formed a lot of controversies.

 

 

 

 

Integrative Questions:

 

  1.  Who is John Stuart Mill?
  2.  What is the Principle of Utility?
  3.  What is Utilitarianism?
  4.  How does Utilitarianism affect the way people live?
  5.  What is the connection of Utilitarianism and Majority?

 

 

Review Questions:

 

  1. State and explain the Principle of Utility. Show how it could be used to justify actions that are conventionally viewed as wrong, such as lying and stealing.

-       It says that as long as an action promotes happiness and content to a person, it is acceptable.

 

  1. How does Mill reply to the objection that Epicureanism is a doctrine worthy only of swine?

-       He just wants to point out that whatever gives a person happiness, people should respect it.

 

  1. How does Mill distinguish between higher and lower pleasures?

-       Higher pleasures can be acquired with more effort compared to lower pleasures.

 

  1. According to Mill, whose happiness must be considered?

-       Personal happiness must be considered for whom it may be.

 

  1. Carefully reconstruct Mill’s proof of the Principle of Utility.

-       Happiness can be extracted from the desires of people.

 

 

Discussion Questions:

 

  1. Is happiness nothing more than pleasure, and the absence of pain? What do you think?

-       Somehow, yes.

 

  1. Does Mill convince you that the so called higher pleasures are better than the lower ones? What about the person of experience who prefers the lower pleasures over the higher ones?

-       It really depends on the preference of the person.

 

  1. Mill says, “In the golden rule of Jesus of Nazareth, we read the complete spirit of the ethics of utility.” Is this true or not?

-       Nope.

 

  1. Many commentators have thought that Mill’s proof of the Principle of Utility is defective. Do you agree? If so, then what mistake or mistakes does he make? Is there any way to reformulate the proof so that it is not defective?

-       Nope, I don’t agree.

 

 

 

 

 

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