Essay on Is Mill a Rule Utilitarian - 920 Words

D. Vinson Is Mill A Rule Utilitarian? I dont believe so. I must begin my argument with two definitions and one assumption. First, Rule Utilitarianism states that right action is defined by whether or not a given action is an instance of a moral rule that tends to maximize utility. Second, Act Utilitarianism states that right action is defined by whether or not a given action maximizes utility. Finally, the Utilitarian Principle holds that right actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. I hope that my assumption will be granted as it is taken verbatim from the text. With these notions as a starting point I believe that I can now show Mill to be an†¦show more content†¦This is supported by a passage from the text. Mankind must by this time have acquired positive beliefs as to the effects of some actions on their happiness; and the beliefs which have thus come down are the rules of morality for the multitude, and for the philosopher until he has succeeded in finding better. That philosophers might easily do this, even now, on many subjects; that the received code of ethics is by no means of divine right; and that mankind have still much to learn as to the effects of actions on general happiness, I admit or rather earnestly maintain. If our secondary principles are prone to revision and even deletion then either Mill is an act-utilitarian who allows use of rules that tend to maximize utility to guide our action on simple, or at least morally commonplace, decisions but holds the ultimate test of moral rightness to be the application of the Utilitarian Principle to actions; or he is a rule-utilitarian that says the criteria for determining rightness of action may be wrong, revised, or discarded. W e are here still left with the nagging inclusion of the word tend in the Utilitarian Principle. In wanting to do what is right, but conforming to the idea of maximizing happiness, utilitarians are required to guess at the consequences of their actions. The only inductive way to do this is look at similar actionsShow MoreRelatedEssay on Is Mill a Rule Utilitarian?906 Words   |  4 Pages D. Vinson Is Mill A Rule Utilitarian? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;I don’t believe so. I must begin my argument with two definitions and one assumption. First, Rule Utilitarianism states that right action is defined by whether or not a given action is an instance of a moral rule that tends to maximize utility. Second, Act Utilitarianism states that right action is defined by whether or not a given action maximizes utility. Finally, the Utilitarian Principle holds that right actions are right inRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill And The Utilitarian Tradition1259 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Stuart Mill (1806-1873) was a nineteenth century British philosopher whom tacked issues such as epistemology, economics, social and political philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, religion and current affairs. His greatest philosophical influence is in moral and political philosophy, most notably his articulation and defense of utilitarianism and liberalism. Mills most significant innovations to the utilitarian tradition concern his claims about th e nature of happiness and the role of happiness inRead MoreSimilarity Between Religion And Utilitarianism813 Words   |  4 Pagesand utilitarian, religion is not utilitarian. The basic idea of utilitarianism is hat actions are judged according to their consequences and the relevant consequence of every action is happiness. There is a similarity between religion and utilitarianism. For example, love includes wanting happiness and religious principles such as loving others the way you love yourself and doing to others what you expect them to you are founded on utilitarian principles. The ultimate goal for a utilitarian is happinessRead MoreUtilitarianism : The Utilitarian Moral Theory Essay968 Words   |  4 PagesUtilitarianism-Module 5 1. In its general form, what is the utilitarian moral theory? In its general form, the utilitarian moral theory advocates that an action is morally right if it serves the greatest good for the greatest amount of people. 2. What is hedonism, and what is hedonistic utilitarianism? And, what was Epicurus s view about pleasure? Hedonsim is the principle that suggests that pleasure is the motivator of one’s life and hedonistic utilitarianism is when ethics is determinedRead MoreUtilitarianism Vs. Mill Utilitarianism1004 Words   |  5 PagesVS. Mill Utilitarianism is a normative ethical theory that holds the morally right course of action in any given situation is the course of which yields the greatest balance of benefits over harms. More specifically, utilitarianism’s core idea is that the effects of an action determine whether actions are morally right or wrong. Created with the philosophies of Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806–1873), Utilitarianism began in England in the 19th Century. Bentham and Mill builtRead MoreUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill1365 Words   |  6 Pagesutilitarianism, an age old theory originally developed by Jeremy Bentham that states the proper course of action is the one that maximizes happiness. The course of action that maximizes general happiness is also the only true standard for moral assessment. Mill also introduces the idea of ‘first principle’ which states that it is not acceptable for individuals to characterize actions as either â €˜good’ or ‘bad’, because it is important to find what gives these words their resonance. Opposing Mill’s view ofRead MoreArguments Against Utilitarianism1450 Words   |  6 Pagesare considered as right practices. Moreover, to Mill, actions which enhance happiness are morally right, on the other hand, actions that produce undesirable and unhappy outcomes are considered as morally wrong. From this point of view we can deduct that utilitarianism assign us moral duties and variety of ways for maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain to ensure â€Å"greatest happiness principle†. Despite all of moral duties and obligations, utilitarian perspective have many specific challenges thatRead MoreThe Mill s Utilitarian Principle785 Words   |  4 Pages4. Give a clear and concise explanation of J.S. Mill’s Utilitarian Principle. How does Mill’s view differ from Bentham’s view? What is this supposed to help us with, morally speaking? D iscuss critically. The Utilitarian Principle, or Greatest Happiness Principle (GHP) is defined as: actions are right, or good â€Å"as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness† (Stumpf, 2015, p. 314). Happiness is defined as a ratio of â€Å"pleasure and absence of pain; by unhappinessRead MoreAn Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation by Jeremey Bentham.1026 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Hedonic Calculus† to carry out the theory of Utilitarianism. John Stewart Mill a student of Bentham is a philosopher from the 1800’s, who loved to be on the levels of political philosophy. Growing up he was hugely influenced by Jeremy Bentham. This influence had a great turn in his life, as he began to focus and study the theory called â€Å"Utiltranisim†. In 1863, Mill wrote a book called Utilitarianism. In this book Mill showed different ideas and different things that he did not agree with his godRead MorePros and Cons of Utilitarianism1087 Words   |  5 Pagesthe action is. The function may not be changed or diverted according to the philosophy. It also cannot change when someone does not think about the bigger picture in perspective to the function. On the surface the logic used by utilitarians such as John Stuart Mill, is easy to agree with as it appears to be based on common sense. But this logic is flawed. The Principle of Utility is the core of utilitarianism. Its main point is that the right choice results in the greatest amount of happiness