Post Activity

3 W’s
1. What did you learn from this module?
We learned utilitarianism from the point of view of its original proponent,
Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill.
We also understood that utilitarianism takes into account the ‘greatest number’
affected by a particular act done by an individual to just its moral worth, thus
we understood the principle of greatest number.
We also saw how it is necessary to consider everyone’s happiness and not
narrow minded individual selfish interests. We learned that utilitarianism is not
separate from liberal social practice as it is interested in everyone’s happiness.

2. So what? (Relevance, Importance, Usefulness)

From this module we understood the principle of greatest number and the
meaning of happiness as understood from the perspective of utility. We can
now say utilitarianism as an ethical theory has the characteristics of
universality, objectivity, rationality and quantifiable.
It weights acts based on their potential to produce the most good for the most
people.

3. Now What? (How does this fit into what we are learning? Does it affect our
thinking?
In the last module we saw utilitarianism as an ethical system which is based on
utility maximization, “for the greater good”.
In this module, we learned that not only do we need to maximize happiness or
pleasure as a utility, but we need to make sure that utility is spread to
maximum number of people so we do not end up fulfilling a utility monster.
We learned that utilitarianism is not limited to maximizing utility but it is also
concerned with distributing that utility to greatest number possible.
Thus we saw that utilitarianism is in perfect sync with liberal social practice and
distributive justice.

Evaluation:
1. Identify the difference between the view of Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill on
what is happiness.
The major difference is that Mill saw pleasure/happiness as having a qualitative
element as well as the quantitative factor which Bentham focused on.
For Bentham, all of us seek pleasure and avoid pain regardless of our personality or
morality. Utility is based on potential to produce maximum good for greatest amount of
people.
While Mill examined and reflected on this as part of a perfect idea of utility or
happiness which could be regarded as law. It is very important to him to adopt
utilitarianism as a rule of life. By this method we do not correctly base the happiness by
the person acting but whether it has brought happiness to the greatest number.

2. Explain The Principle of the Greatest Number using John Stuart Mill’s view.
According to Mill it is not only important to maximize good, but that good has to be
distributed to maximum number of people. Utilitarianism cannot lead to selfish acts, it
 should not be about maximizing our own happiness alone. Our idea of happiness must
be inclusive of other peoples happiness. If we are to satisfy only ourselves, it doesn't
not constitute moral good. Utilitarianism according to Mill also constitute acts of
personal sacrifice for the happiness of others as moral good.

3. Revisit what you wrote as your own objective/s at the Objectives part of this module.
You are to convert that into a question, or a product, or create anything to prove that
you have attained your own objective.
• Understand the difference of view between Bentham and mill in with respect to
utilitarianism and ultimate utility.
• Why should the utility be distributed to greatest numbers?

Reflective Writing No. 6.

Few human creatures would consent to be charged into any of the lower animals, for a
promise of the fullest allowances of a beasts pleasures.”
– John Stuart Mill

John Stuart Mill himself said: Most folks would rather be an unsatisfied Socrates than a
satisfied pig.
Pointing out that, humans have “advanced” higher capabilities which animals lack.
Mill was attempting to answer critiques of utilitarianism in the Bentham variety (but his variety
as well) which said that utilitarianism was animalistic, just pleasure seeking, or hedonistic.

This also in a very real sense sets up an argument about higher values like justice or perhaps
even human rights or free speech (in his famous essay/book On Liberty) having a genuine
utilitarian value.

Mill said that pleasure and happiness are the only intrinsic goods or values, of which more is
of course better. He said that human pleasures are of various kinds that are richer or higher –
collectively better – than in other animals, so people would not want to sacrifice the pleasure
of that richness and depth of experience despite life’s sufferings for something less, such as
the pleasures of a perfectly satisfied pig.

It is very clear that people would not want to reincarnate as an animal, even if all the needs of
that animal is fulfilled, no wonder religions with reincarnation see animal birth as punishment
rather than a reward.