Mill reading Study Notes: John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism defined: A moral theory that suggests actions should promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
Main players: Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, and various historical contexts of societal exploitation.
- Bentham's timeline: 1748 to 1832, during the Industrial Revolution, focusing on societal transformations and the plight of workers.

The societal backdrop:
- Workers faced exploitation during the Industrial Revolution.
- Previous moral theories (often elitist) failed to address the plight of the impoverished.
Key figures influenced by utilitarianism:
- Karl Marx, Charles Dickens alongside Bentham, James Mill, and John Stuart Mill.

Birth and Education:
- Born in London, 1806.
- Rigorous home education designed by father James Mill with a utilitarian focus.
- Achievements:
- Greek at age three, Plato by age ten, advanced studies by teenage years.
- Lived in France at 14, grew fluent in French and studied various sciences.
Work Experience and Personal Struggles:
- Worked as a clerk in the British East India Company to avoid the church.
- Suffered depression in early twenties due to excessive expectations.
Personal Life:
- Friendship with Harriet Taylor; married her post-widowhood in 1851.
- Advocate for women's rights; proposed suffrage legislation.
Death and Legacy:
- Died in Avignon, 1873, after a prolific writing career, including On Liberty, Utilitarianism, and The Subjection of Women.
- Mill emphasized personal freedom and the no harm principle.

Key differences in hedonism:
- Bentham equated happiness strictly with pleasure (all pleasures equal).
- Mill categorized pleasures into higher (intellectual) and lower (sensory).
Distinction Explanation:
- Higher pleasures engage intellect and should be valued more highly than lower, base pleasures.
- Famous quote: "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied."
Mill's Education Theory:
- Advocated universal access to education as a means to elevate society and enjoy higher pleasures.

Misconceptions around utility and pleasure:
- Critics misinterpret "utility" as rejecting pleasure when it historically equates to pleasure.
Fundamental principle:
- Actions deemed right if they promote happiness and wrong if they lead to pain.
- Garnering clarity on pain/pleasure definitions within utilitarian thought.

Foundation of morality:
- Utility defined: Actions are right in proportion to their ability to promote happiness.
- Happiness as pleasure and absence of pain; unhappiness as pain and deprivation of pleasure.
Criticism of utilitarianism:
- Some view the focus on pleasure as shallow or base.
- Utilitarian responds by illustrating virtues and higher pleasures fostered by intellect and society\'s structure.

Mill's argument against purely quantitative assessments of pleasures:
- Quality of pleasure matters in ethical evaluations: "Quality is considered as well as quantity."
- Preference principle established via experiences of those with knowledge of both dimensions of pleasure.
- Example: People would not prefer a life of base animalistic joys over a life of contemplative dissatisfaction.

Higher pleasures are necessary for cultivating a noble character, benefiting society as a whole.
Mill's views on character:
- Ethical behavior produces elevated happiness, impacting society positively.
Societal reforms:
- Called for the reduction of poverty and increased access to education as means of implementation.

Arguments against happiness as a rational pursuit:
- Critics declare happiness unattainable.
- Mill counters by asserting that life comprising pleasure and minimal pain could yield happiness.
Natural human inclinations:
- Lack of public and private affections leads to unsatisfactory life experiences.
- Encourages fostering intellectual and moral cultivation promote individual happiness.

Common objections:
- Claims that the concept of utility is a cold and unsympathetic ethical standard.
- Mill asserts such criticism as an understanding misstep.
The Golden Rule's connections to utility:
- Emphasis on maximizing happiness while fairly balancing individual interests.
Misapplication of the principle may lead individuals to misconstrue personal interests as conflicting with societal welfare.

The overarching mission of utilitarianism:
- To harmonize personal and collective happiness through informed moral action.
- Acknowledgment of the profound benefits of cultivating individuals within the framework of utilitarianism.
Mill’s contributions:
- Marked a shift in ethical discourse, arguing for a broad appreciation of different pleasures and the complexity of human happiness in moral philosophy.