The History Of Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill ( 1806-1873...

Act utilitarianism is a theory of ethics which will state that a person s act is as morally right if and only if it produces at least as much happiness as any other act that the person would perform at that particular time. To understand how an act utilitarianism works, you have to compare the consequences for example if you decided to watch television all day tomorrow to the consequences of your doing some sort of charity work instead. You could produce more overall happiness in the world by doing charity work tomorrow than by watching television all day. According to act utilitarianism, then, the right thing for you to do tomorrow is to go out and do some sort of good in the world as in charity work; to utilitarian’s it is wrong for you to stay home and watch television all day. In the history of utilitarianism John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was an important philosopher who in the 19th century was an important defender of personal liberty. When it comes Mills theories he has made a major impact on philosophical work and also an impact when it comes too things economically, politically, and socially. Mill defines utilitarianism as a theory that is based on the principle that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. He also adds that happiness is a pleasure in the absence of pain. He also begins to argue that pleasure can be different when it comes to the different qualities and quantities,Show MoreRelatedUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill854 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Stuart Mill, among other things, was an English philosopher and economist who lived from 1806 to 1873. Mill grew up being immersed in the principles of utilitarianism. Mill’s essay on utilitarianism, titled Utilitarianism, was written to debunk misconceptions of and to provide support for the ideology. Mill’s essay and argument span five chapters, where his discussions range from definitions, misconceptions, rewards, methods, and validity. Utilitarianism is generally held to be the view thatRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill On The Modern World1544 Words   |  7 Pageswritings on philosophy had influence on people all over the world. Centuries later, you can still use his work as a point of reference for issues facing the modern world. His writings were such that they brought a new dimension in religion, law and history. One of his more famous writings was in the form of a paper which includes the ‘Metaphysics of Morals’ which form the basis for this paper. His view of morals is that our desires and emotions are categorically imperative, meaning that they are conscienceRead MoreStuart Mill and John Locke Conception of Freedom Essay1913 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction John Locke (1632-1704) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) are two important thinkers of liberty in modern political thought. They have revolutionized the idea of human freedom at their time and have influenced many political thinkers afterwards. Although their important book on human freedom, John Locke’s The Second Treatise of Government (1689) and John Mill’s On Liberty (1859), are separated 170 years, some scholars thinks that they are belonging to the same conceptual tradition, EnglishRead MoreBentham And Mill ( 1806-1873 ) And John Stuart Mill Essay1302 Words   |  6 Pagesmost important utilitarian’s in history are Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). Bentham and Mill were very important individuals when it came to philosophy. Their theories has had a major impact both on philosophical work and also an impact when it comes too economically, politically, and socially. Utilitarian’s are consequentialist individuals who believe t hat actions are right inasmuch as they promote happiness. But Mill defines utilitarianism as a theory based on the principleRead MoreThe Differences in John Stuart Mills and Jeremy Benthams Versions of Utilitarianism2151 Words   |  9 PagesThe Differences in John Stuart Mills and Jeremy Benthams Versions of Utilitarianism In what ways did John Stuart Mills version of utilitarianism differ from that of Jeremy Bentham? Which do you consider preferable? The Cambridge International Dictionary of English defines utilitarianism as the system of thought which states that the best action or decision in a particular situation is the one which most benefits the most people. This is the main idea of the system of thought and it isRead MoreMill vs. Bentham2787 Words   |  12 PagesIn what ways did John Stuart Mills version of utilitarianism differ from that of Jeremy Bentham? Which do you consider preferable? The Cambridge International Dictionary of English defines utilitarianism as the system of thought which states that the best action or decision in a particular situation is the one which most benefits the most people. This is the main idea of the system of thought and it is from this the beliefs and opinions of John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873), Jeremy Bentham (1748Read MoreThe Harsh Reality: Crime and Punishment Essay1926 Words   |  8 Pagesmangled body. Raskolnikov believes that by committing the murder of the old woman, he is rightfully removing â€Å"a louse...a useless, loathsome, harmful creature† from society, a mentality of political nihilists (Dostoevsky 358). This also demonstrates utilitarianism - an ethical doctrine that states moral decisions should be founded upon the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. It is imperative to note that Raskolnikov is acting on supremely selfish impulses. Although he wishes to purgeRead MoreHistory of the Tobacco Industry2324 Words   |  9 PagesSpecialty tobacco shops History of the Tobacco Industry Tobacco and smoking has a long history that can be traced back to the 11th Century through he various developments till it became whet it is today as a multi billion industry with many players like Specialty tobacco shops. Though the pictorial evidence of smoking is estimated to be dated back to the 11th Century, it is believed that tobacco has existed in America as from the 1st Century. The discovery of cigarettes date back to theRead More Ethical Theories  and Major Moral Principles Essay5111 Words   |  21 Pagestheory is governed by two basic theories, with an additional five or six theories taking up the vast majority of the rest of the discussion. Over the course of the next few pages I will explain to you the basics of eight different ethical theories: utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, contractarianism, feminist or care-based ethics, natural law theory, Confucian ethics, intuitionism and ideal observer theory, and virtue ethics. I will tell you about some of the major proponents of the theory, some of its variationsRead More A Case Study Depicting the Importance of Ethics in Medicine Essay4544 Words   |  19 Pagesthat egoistic hedonism is when a person engages in moral action by acting in his or her own best interest (Thompson, 2000). The ethical theory of utilitarianism was developed by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806- 1873) (Hendrick, 2001; Thompson, 2000; Beauchamp Childress, 2009). According to Bentham’s theory of utilitarianism, the moral action to take is that which will would produce ‘the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people’ (Hendrick, 2001,p. 18). Consequently