Mill_Ethics_Utilitarian

1.) (a) In Mill’s “Utilitarianism” theory the objection that he observes is that there is a miscommunication for the term utilitarian in the aspect that many people understand the term utility as opposing pleasure. In reality the term utility is defined as pleasure itself, with the absence of pain. Therefore, the basis of morals is the term utility, or the greatest happiness principle where actions are considered to be “right” if they tend to promote happiness and actions are considered “wrong” if the contribute the opposite effect of happiness (b) Mill explains that a utilitarian would simply respond by stating that first the accusation is implying that human beings are only capable of pleasures that pigs are also capable of, and if this were factual there wouldn’t be a defense against this charge but if this charge were fact there wouldn’t be any dispute because if the sources of pleasure were precisely the same for beasts as for humans the sources of happiness according to the rule of life, would read that what is good enough for beasts must be good enough for humans as well. In this comparison of beasts and humans it is felt that this is degrading because a beast’s pleasures do not amount to a human’s conception of happiness. 2.) (a) Mill essentially states that quality pleasures include those of intellect, imagination, and those containing moral sediments are of much higher value than pleasures that formulate from mere physical sensation. Basically mental pleasures by far exceed bodily pleasures in the aspect that mental pleasures provide a permanent, safe and less costly method of pleasure. In respects to quantity Mill states that it would be “absurd if the value of pleasures were supposed to depend on quantity alone.” (b) The test involves two premises of pleasure in which all or almost all of a group have experienced both premises and give preference to the premise they feel causes the most pleasure. The group decides to give preference for P1, regardless of any feeling that they ought to prefer it. If those who have experienced both pleasures place P1 far more pleasurable than P2 and would prefer it even knowing it had a greater amount of dissatisfaction, and would still not exchange it for P2 concludes that quality greatly outweighs quantity. 3.) Mill believes that those who have a small capacity of enjoyment have the greatest chance of being fully satisfied, thus the feeling of contentment. Those with a higher capacity for happiness will always feel that they are less content because they have a deeper sense of the limitations of the world.