John

Stu

art M

ill

BACKGROUND OF HIS LIFE

Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism

Actions are right in proportion to their tendency to promote happiness and wrong in proportion to their tendency to promote the reverse of happiness.

Therefore:Happiness is a pleasure and absence of

pain.

Qualitative v.s. Quantitative

Quantitative:• For Bentham, pleasures differ only in their

amount.Qualitative:• For Mill, pleasures differ from each other in

kind and quality, not only in quantity.

Qualitative v.s. Quantitative

Quantitative:• Just as a thermometer measures the

different degrees of heat, so also a “moral thermometer” could measure the degrees of happiness and unhappiness.

Qualitative v.s. Quantitative

Qualitative:• For Mill, it would be absurd that the

estimation of pleasures should be supposed to quantity alone.

• Pleasures of the intellect and imagination have a higher value than the mere sensation.

Qualitative v.s. Quantitative

Qualitative:• For Mill, the mere quantity of pleasure

produced by an act was secondary importance when we have to make a choice between pleasures.

Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism

Actions are right in proportion to their tendency to promote happiness and wrong in proportion to their tendency to promote the reverse of happiness.

Therefore:Happiness is a pleasure and absence of

pain.

Mill’s departure from Bentham

Mill’s departure from Bentham

Mill Mill says, that there

is no way to calculate or measure either the quantity or quality of pleasures.

Bentham For Bentham,

pleasures and pains can be calculated.

Mill’s departure from Bentham

Mill We rarely need to

consider the consequences of our specific actions. Instead we go about our lives following general moral rules.

Bentham Each act we

perform we should consider whether that act produces a greater balance of happiness versus unhappiness

Mill’s departure from Bentham

For example I am poor and my family is starving, I may want to steal a loaf of bread from the local store.

Mill’s departure from Bentham

Here I am torn between two moral rules:1. Provide your family, and;2. Do not steal.

Mill’s departure from BenthamMill

Mill accepted this point, but added that we may rely on a variety of social institutions to help broaden our level of concern for others.

Bentham Bentham simply assumed that we ought to choose those acts that produce for us the greatest quantity of pleasure. He also assumed that we should naturally help other people to achieve their happiness because in that way we should secure our own.

Mill on Liberty

Mill on Liberty

• The driving force of Mill in his theory about liberty was, because of the problems of society.

• Bentham’s cure for social evil was the democracy. Because in democracy the people being ruled are also the rulers.

Mill on Liberty

• Because in democracy, it is possible that the will of majority can oppress the will of minorities.

• Mill’s particular focus is on preserving liberty by setting limits to the actions of government.

Mill on Liberty

• Mill agreed that, “the sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self protection.

• The only way for which power can be rightly exercised over the member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others.

Mill on Liberty

Three conditions under which the government should not interfere with its subjects:First, government should not interfere when private individuals can perform the actions better.

Mill on Liberty

Three conditions under which the government should not interfere with its subjects:Second, government should not interfere when although the government could possibly perform the action better than the private individuals, it is desirable for the individuals to it for their development and education.

Mill on Liberty

Three conditions under which the government should not interfere with its subjects:Lastly, government should not interfere when there is danger that too much power will unnecessarily accrue to the government.

Mill on Liberty

• Mill’s argument of liberty therefore was an argument of individualism.

My own way to my happiness

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ROAD TO H

APPINES

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Mill on Liberty

Mill’s Principle of Liberty:

The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant… The only part of the conduct of anyone, for which he is amenable to the society, is that which concern others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.

Prepared by:Sem. Bejie B. Samson

andSem. Carlo Emil N. Boado.