Utilitarianism, By Jeremy Bentham And John Stuart Mill

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that claims one is morally right when an action serves the ultimate interest of bringing about the most overall happiness. Any action that produces less happiness than an available alternative is not morally just. In fact, any action that produces pain, as opposed to pleasure, is considered unjust. Whether an action is right or wrong is independent of the intentions of the person committing the action. An act is right in virtue of its actual results, not its expected results. A Utilitarian’s goal is to make decisions that result in the most overall happiness, while reducing the elements of pain and dissatisfaction as much as possible. Perhaps the two most famous supporters of Utilitarianism are English philosophers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. These two men were social reformers in the 1800’s and are responsible for modern day Utilitarianism as we know it. Mill and Bentham also spoke up about issues of their own interest. Mill spoke out as a strong supporter of meritocracy, a political view that claims power should be vested with individuals, not the government. Bentham spoke about wanting to correct the mistreatment of animals. Utilitarian’s strongly supported the suffrage movement for women and the abolition of slavery. These concerns represent the view of Utilitarianism that everybody’s happiness is equal. Utilitarianism has one big moral principle and two major categories. Happiness is the only intrinsically valuable elementShow MoreRelatedUtilitarianism By Jeremy Bentham And John Stuart Mill1992 Words   |  8 PagesUtilitarianism is an ethical theory originating from the late 18th and 19th century British Philosophers and economists: Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. The Utilitarian theory focuses solely on the consequences an action has on the happiness of those affected by the action. Utilitarianism can be contrasted with other ethical theories such as deontology; deontologists consider the morality of the actions while disregarding the consequences produced by their actions. However a utilitarian doesRead MoreJeremy Bentham And John Stuart Mills Mill On Utilitarianism872 Words   |  4 PagesMill on Utilitarianism â€Å"The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals, Utility, or the Greatest Happiness Principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness (Utilitarianism, Mill). This theory of Utilitarianism was generated by the original Utilitarians, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. Mill says: â€Å"Happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privationRead MoreUtilitarianism And Out Of All By Jeremy Bentham And John Stuart Mill1513 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction With the passage of time, new ideas emerge and there is always a new way of looking into things thus developing new epistemologies. Utilitarianism is one of the ways of looking at things, there were and are many thinkers of utilitarianism and out of all the thinkers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill were the key thinkers or the classical utilitarians. Mill (as cited in Mulgan, 2007) states, â€Å"actions are right in proportion as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. 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Utilitarianism is the concept that balances the many benefits as well as the discomforts of society. Nonetheless, utilitarianism could be put to the test with clinical research because it is not completely clear about how to balance people’s pain, discomfort, or inconveniences ofRead MoreAct Utilitarianism By Jeremy Bentham And John Stuart Mill During The 19th Century861 Words   |  4 PagesAct utilitarianism is a theory proposed by English philosophers Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill during the 19th century. The aforementioned theory states that an action is morally good if its benefits exceed its harms, and correspondingly an action is considered morally bad if its harms exceed its benefits. Act utilitarianism is based upon the principle of utility, which states an action is right, if it increases the total happiness of the affected parties, and wrong if it decreases the totalRead MoreUtilitarianism Vs. Mill Utilitarianism1004 Words   |  5 Pagesanism: Bentham VS. M ill 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. BenthamRead MoreUtilitarianism : Bentham And Mill766 Words   |  4 PagesUtilitarianism: Bentham VS. 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 philosophies of Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806–1873), Utilitarianism began in England in the 19th Century. Read MoreHappiness And Happiness1736 Words   |  7 Pagesthe 3 time period will be addressed: Historical utilitarianism, Classical utilitarianism, and Modern utilitarianism. They are very similar but have important miniscule differences in them that separates them from each other but overall share the same concept of happiness. Key words:Utilitarianism, Modern utilitarianism, Classical Utilitarianism, Act/Rule utilitarianism, Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism The Utilitarianism philosophy’s concept is mainly characterizedRead MoreJeremy Benthams Utilitarianism is a Convincing Method for Normatic Ethics891 Words   |  4 PagesUtilitarianism has been recognized as a convincing method regarding normative ethics, utilitarianism wasn’t fully expressed until the 19th century. Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, acknowledged the good with pleasure. Both of the philosophers believed we ought to make the most of the good, everyones happiness is the same no matter what type of happiness it is. When one fulfills their good, it doesn’t mean one’s individual good doesn’t count more when compared to someone else’s good. Jeremy