Essay on John Stuart Mill's Utilitarian Ethics: Consequences of Conflict & Pursuit of Happiness

Introduction

John Stuart Mill’s primary defence of utilitarian ethics is based on the foundation of morals, which articulates that actions are justified in proportion as they promote the happiness of humans. His first defence on the ethics of utility is based on the consequences of conflict and neither the rights nor the ethical sentiments of actions. In his brief explanation of the ethical theory, Mill acknowledges the controversial part of his philosophy, which is happiness which he asserts as merely a maximization of pleasure (Mill,1863). I concur with this assumption since happiness underscores a supreme goal as opposed to joy constituting more pleasure than pain. Mill’s conception of desire is rather expansive contrary to other thinkers like Epicurus and Bentham. According to Mill, all preferences are not alike since the pursuant of physical pleasure would mean that people forget their capacities in the reams of emotional, spiritual, and intellectual experiences. True happiness, therefore, is much more than mere physical sensations. Mill adds that pleasure is inherently good and desirable for its own sake rather than a means to an end and that proper actions are the ones that result in immense pleasure (Mill,1863). The adequate articulation of the concept of Utilitarianism according to Mill, therefore, encompasses satisfaction as an exemplification of happiness and that actions embrace morality in the spheres of ability to promote happiness at the same time immoral based on their actions that result in unhappiness.

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The Principle that Constitutes Utilitarianism

The principle of Utilitarianism is based on the creed, which accepts the foundation of the law of greatest happiness, utility, and morals (Mill,1863). Also, the principle holds that actions are correction proportion as they promote happiness and wrong at the same time since they produce the reverse of happiness. Mill asserts that satisfaction is a pleasure that is intended, devoid of pain, and unhappiness evokes pain and pleasure privation. Mill adds that the principle of Utilitarianism encompasses the utility existence of pleasure and the absence of pain as the fundamentals of people's desires and the moral foundations. He, however, clarifies that Utilitarianism does not mean that people should pursue their happiness but rather the greatest pleasure dictates morality and that it is the moral action that accelerates utility in the world. The pursuance of personal happiness devoid of social joy would, therefore, amount to immortality in this paradigm.

Moreover, Mill, in his ethical model, asserts that morality is derived from the pleasures and preferences of people and one’s inclinations toward a lesser or more, please do not constitute the preferences of the majority. Additionally, he makes dues consideration to the level at which a utilitarian can make reasonable sacrifices for their happiness. At the same time, Mill specifies that as much as practical value sacrificing one's good for others' good, they deny the acceptance of joy as being good. He asserts that sacrifice is only useful when it promotes happiness and not good when it does not promote happiness. Hence according to Mill, the standard of Utilitarianism for judging happiness for all people is that a person must not value his happiness over the happiness of others and it is the law of education that would help instil the generosity of delight in people. Utilitarianism is therefore not concerned with the motives behind an action but rather, the morality of an action is dependent on the goodness of the result.

Common Complaints Against Utilitarians and Mill’s Answers to Them

Critics of Utilitarianism have over the years claimed that it attempts to compare things that are immeasurable by computing the amount they bring artificially. They argue that utility is responsible for reducing the values of experiences and happiness that are inherent to them, coupled with cheapening some experiences. Mill responds to them by discussing the two types of pleasures; higher and lower preferences. In his response to critics, Mill asserts that utility is never a measurement of the psychological feelings of happiness. Still, rather pleasure constitutes vast qualities that can only be dictated by people with enormous experiences (Mill,1863). He adds that all; actions and experiences should never be judged based on one’s standards of reduction, but rather in the realms of vast qualities of pleasure that correspond with the types of experiences. Higher pleasures, Mill donates that are heavily weighed by Utilitarianism and should therefore never be cheapened by the measurements of utility. Consequently, Mill asserts that one who has experienced both higher and lower pleasure is likely to choose the higher one and is unlikely to relinquish them for more economical. That is because higher pleasures cultivate people's intellects as no intelligent human would prefer to be a fool.

Another complaint on Utilitarianism is based on happiness not being the rational aim of human life as it is unattainable and that people can exist without joy, just like all virtuous people who upon renouncing pleasure have become righteous. In that case, Mill disputes it as an exaggerated claim by contending that, happiness, if defined in moments of rapture, with minimal pain, is possible. He adds that it is the absence of mental cultivation that constitutes selfishness and unhappiness. Hence, it is possible for everyone to be happy as long as their education nurtures the values that are appropriate (Mill,1863). Mill further adds that a wise and energetic society that is devoted to the elimination of evil would minimize most world evils like poverty and disease.

Conclusion

Mill's Utilitarianism is based on the assumption that actions are right since they promote happiness where happiness underscores pleasure devoid of pain. Despite critics’ objections to Utilitarianism, Mill responds that such critics are baseless and answer all by asserting that morality at times needs the sacrifice of happiness, in the quest of securing greater satisfaction for others and in the future as well. Mill finally says that the practical standard of morality, albeit demanding, can be supplemented by virtue besides other feelings. That is following the fact that Utilitarianism does not endorse immoral actions, and they do not need to calculate the effects of every effort but rely on standard rules.

Reference

Mill, J. (1863). Utilitarianism. BLTC. https://www.utilitarianism.com/mill2.htm