Library Reference: N/A

Amazon Reference: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-Moral-Problems-James-White/dp/0534584306/

Quote: “Principle of Utility or the Greatest Happiness Principle, says that the ultimate end, with reference to and for the sake of which all other things are desirable, whether we are considering our own good or that of other people, is an existence exempt as far as possible from pain, and as rich as possible from enjoyments, both in point of quantity and quality.”

Learning Expectations:

• to understand the definition of utilitarianism
• to be more aware of philosophical terms
• to understand how important it is to view morality in different ways
• to determine how should this philosophical moral problems are important
• to learn new ideas about the philosopher

Review:

          This chapter talks about John Mill's definition of utilitarianism. According to Wikipedia, "Utilitarianism is the idea that the moral worth of an action is determined solely by its contribution to overall utility: that is, its contribution to happiness or pleasure as summed among all persons. It is thus a form of consequentialism, meaning that the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome: put simply, the ends justify the means. Utility, the good to be maximised, has been defined by various thinkers as happiness or pleasure (versus suffering or pain), although preference utilitarians like Peter Singer define it as the satisfaction of preferences. It may be described as a life stance, with happiness or pleasure being of ultimate importance."

          MIll also discussed two concept of utlitarianism: rule utlitarianism and act utlitarianism. Act utilitarianism states that, "when faced with a choice, we must first consider the likely consequences of potential actions and, from that, choose to do what we believe will generate most pleasure." On the other hand, the rule utilitarian begins by "looking at potential rules of action. To determine whether a rule should be followed, he looks at what would happen if it were constantly followed."  The distinction between act and rule utilitarianism is therefore "based on a difference about the proper object of consequentialist calculation — specific to a case or generalised to rules."

What I’ve learned:

• Some facts about Hedonism
• Why does Hedonism considered as 'anti-happiness'?
• Difference between Hedonism and Utilitarianism

Integrative Questions:

1. What is Hedonism?
2. What is Rule Utilitarianism?
3. What is Act Utilitarianism?
4. How does hedonism affects human lives?
5. Who defended the classical utilitarianism? 

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.
   • "The ultimate end, with reference to and for the sake of which all other things are desirable, whether we are considering our own good or that of other people, is an existence exempt as far as possible from pain, and as rich as possible from enjoyments, both in point of quantity and quality."
   • It is so obvious that doing delict acts could eventually create a negligence of care to other party, causing them not to be pleaed, thus, losing the happiness they already established among themselves.
2. How does Mill reply to the objection that Epicureanism is a doctrine worthy only of a swine?
   • "The sources of pleasure of a human being and a swine are the same, the rule of life which is good enough for the one would be good enough for the other. The comparison of Epicurean life to that of the beasts is degrading because a beast’s definition of pleasure is not the same as of human’s conception of happiness.."
3. How does Mill distinguish between higher and lower pleasures?
   • “A being of higher faculties requires more to make him happy, is capable probably of more acute suffering, and certainly accessible to it at more point than one of an inferior type.”
4. According to Mill, whose happiness must be considered?
   • "A utilitarian standard is not the agent’s own greatest happiness, but the greatest happiness altogether."
5. Carefully reconstruct Mill’s proof of the Principle of Utility.
   • "Happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable, as an end; all other things being only desirable as means to that end."
   • "An object is visible is that people actually see it, and so of the other sources of our experience."