Mill's Utilitarianism

John Stuart Mill

*He is one of the most influential english speaking philosopher on 19th century.

*His utilitarianism is astraight forward and simple theory which have two main elements. It is both
about what is the ultimate value, important in life and it provides criteria for judging whether any action
is right or wrong. According to Mill, happiness or pleasure is the most important in life where pleasure is
what makes our life valuable. He believed that the reason why we choose anything is either it is pleasure
beyond itself or be the pleasure of at some future time. The common objection on Mill's theory is that
he believe that the utilitarian concedes of human being as if they are swine where it takes more focus
on pleasure. His utilitarianism is a theory about; "what is of highest importance in life?" and "what
makes action right or wrong?"

He explained that by pleasure, it doesn't onluly have the pleasure we have in mind but also the pleasure
that we experienced in our senses. He also include the emotional and intellectual pleasure such as
intellectual satisfaction. Mill says that intellectual pleasure have higher quality or value than sense
pleasure. Mill believes that the goal of our action should always be promoting the greatest possible
happiness or pleasure. The happiness that we should maximize in our own action is not our own
happiness but the happiness of everyone.

Utilitarianism is a form of consequentialism. It is a theory in which morality of an actions determined by

the consequences or otherwise, what makes action right or wrong are the real facts that has in the
world. Mill contempory raised the difficulty of how one could practically live on utilitarian theory of the
moral life we have to make decision in a second. As a whole, there have lot of different type of actions
and consequences they lead to. Base of the the speaking about the consequences of action on human
history is that human being and societies have adopted general rules that's not everyone has to wait all
consequences of their action all the time. Some of rules are basic rule like do not steal, do not cheat, do
not lie, do not murdered and do not intentionally harm people. In general, moral rules are guides on
how we can maximize happiness for everyone. Mill, however thought that none of these rules are
unbreakable. According to Mill's utilitarianism, the greatest happiness for everyone is more important
than the rights of individual and any action can be morally justify if it lead to the greatest possible
happiness.