Mill's Utilitarianism

Term Paper # 104131

Philosophy
Political Science > Mill, John Stuart

This paper explores John Stuart Mill's approach to utilitarianism.

1,335 words () | 2 sources | APA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper explains that utilitarianism is based on the pursuit of pleasure. The paper then focuses on Mill's belief that it is not the quantity of pleasure that is important, but rather the quality of that pleasure, both on the individual and the social level. The paper explores the implications of this approach and analyzes its merits and drawbacks. The paper reveals that there are significant flaws in Mill's approach that undermine the effectiveness of the proposal specifically and utilitarianism in general.

From the Paper:

"Utilitarianism has become all but synonymous with John Stuart Mill, not surprisingly since he literally wrote the book on the subject. In Utilitarianism, Mill (1861) writes, "It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied" (p. 153). This is a central point in Mill's philosophical and ethical approach, one that has significant implications for utilitarianism. An examination of the merits and drawbacks of this position reveals that there exist significant flaws in Mill's approach, flaws that undermine the effectiveness of the proposal specifically and utilitarianism generally."

Sample of Sources Used:

Katz, L.D. (2006). Pleasure. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved May 15, 2007, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pleasure/
Mill, J.S. (1861). Utilitarianism.