John Stuart Mill

How does Mill define the principle of utility, and what role does it play in determining moral actions?

Mill defines the principle of utility as the idea that actions are morally right if they promote happiness and morally wrong if they cause unhappiness. Moral actions are judged by their consequences, specifically their ability to maximize overall well-being

Why does Mill argue that actions are morally right if they promote happiness and wrong if they produce the opposite

Mill believes happiness is the ultimate goal of human life. Since happiness consists of pleasure and the absence of pain, morality should be based on maximizing overall happiness.

How does Mill distinguish between higher and lower pleasures, and why does he believe some pleasures are more valuable than others?

Mill differentiates between higher (intellectual, moral) and lower (bodily, sensory) pleasures, Higher pleasures engage human reason and lead to long-term fulfillment, while lower pleasures are fleeting and temporary.

What criteria does Mill propose for distinguishing higher pleasures from lower ones?

Mill proposes the “test of competent judges”: If people who have experienced both types of pleasure consistently prefer one. that pleasure is superior

What are three common objections to utilitarianism that Mill addresses?

1. It reduces morality to pleasure-seeking

2. It is too demanding

3. It ignores individual rights and justice

How does Mill defend utilitarianism against the critique that it is too much to demand that people should always ‘act from the motive of promoting the general interests of society’?

1. Motives do not determine morality, consequences do

2. Mill argues that most moral actions naturally contribute to happiness, even if people do not consciously think about promoting the greater good