Consequentialism, By John Stuart Mill Essay - 971 Words

Consequentialism is a broad ethical theory that describes one s actions to be good or bad depending solely upon the consequences of those actions. The distinguishing element of this theory from others is that the action itself has no value without analyzing the expected consequences, as explained by William H. Shaw in â€Å"Consequentialism†, â€Å"...when it comes to rightness or wrongness, nothing matters but the results of our actions† (Shaw 28). Then the question is, what exactly does it mean for a consequence to be deemed good ? Utilitarianism, a more specific form of consequentialism, answers this by describing a good action to be one that brings about the most happiness or well-being for everyone. John Stuart Mill states, â€Å"The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals â€Å"utility† or the â€Å"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† (Mill 7). This theory seems simple when applied to everyday situations. However, it can become tricky when applied to more complex, multi-faceted, situations. Obviously there are differentiating levels of happiness. For example, in a situation where it seems there may be no such thing as a happy outcome, the anticipated consequence that is deemed to be the lesser of two evils would be perceived to bring about the most well-being compared to the other choice. This theory may also seem difficult because it is based onShow MoreRelatedThe Pros And Cons Of Utilitarianism954 Words   |  4 PagesUtilitarianism Utilitarianism is the ethical belief that the happiness of the greatest number of people is the greatest good. Jeremy Betham and John Stuart Mill are two philosophers that were leading advocates for the utilitarianism that we study today. In order to understand the basis of utilitarianism, one must know what happiness is. John Stuart Mill defines happiness as the intended pleasure and absence of pain while unhappiness is pain and the privation of pleasure. Utilitarians feel the moralRead MoreUtilitarianism, By John Stuart Mill And Utilitarianism880 Words   |  4 Pagessometimes hard to define, but with John Stuart Mill and Utilitarianism it is a little bit easier. Utilitarianism is an easy one, for the reason that it is defined by the greatest happiness for everyone involved. Sometimes it does not always make everyone content, but if you look at it as a whole it makes sense. Mill says that we have to look at the bigger picture. One person’s happiness affects anotherâ€℠¢s and so on. Utilitarianism is a moral theory that John Stuart Mill, the philosopher, formulated toRead MoreUse Of Consequentialism, Desire Satisfaction Theory And Objective List Theory1345 Words   |  6 PagesConsequentialism is an approach to Ethics that argues that the morality of an action is reliant on the action s consequence (Mastin, 2008). This theory is based on two main principles, first, that the rightness or wrongness of an act depends solely on the results of it and secondly, that the better act is the one that produces more good as a consequence. What is meant by consequence here is everything that a certain action brings about, including the action itself. The good end required by an actionRead MoreJohn Stewart Mill’s Idea of Utilitarianism – Does It Still Exist Today?1255 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Stewart Mill’s Idea of Utilitarianism – Does it Still Exist Today? J.S Mill is a philosopher from the 1800’s, whose work typically seemed to be on the levels of political philosophy. Growing up, Stewart was hugely influenced by Jeremy Bentham as he was Bentham’s god son. This influence proved itself to be an important one as Stewart, just like his god father, began to focus his work around the idea of utilitarianism. In 1863, Stewart had an article called Utilitarianism published in FrasersRead More Immanuel Kants Ethics Of Pure Duty and John Stuart Mills Utilitarian Ethics Of Justice2753 Words   |  12 PagesImmanuel Kants The Grounding For The Metaphysics of Morals and John Stuart Mills Utilitarianism Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill are philosophers who addressed the issues of morality in terms of how moral traditions are formed. Immanuel Kant has presented one viewpoint in The Grounding For The Metaphysics of Morals that is founded on his belief that the worth of man is inherent in his ability to reason. John Stuart Mill holds another opinion as presented in the book, Utilitarianism thatRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill’s Theory of Utilitarianism1336 Words   |  5 Pagesmorally using John Stuart Mill’s theory of Utilitarianism and the Greatest Happiness Principle (GHP) and Immanuel Kant’s Deontology and his Formula of Universal Law (FUL). I will also explain why Kantian Deontology works better as a moral theory in the case of Tom and Mary. In John Stuart Mill’s, â€Å"Utilitarianism,† Mill describes his theory as, â€Å"†¦ not something to be contradistinguished from pleasure, but pleasure itself, together with the exemption of pain (2001, p. 9).† What Mill is describing canRead MoreHappiness And Happiness1736 Words   |  7 Pagesother 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 characterized by two elements: happiness and consequentialism. According to the utilitarian philosophy, utilitarian happiness is most desired by humans and everything one does that contributes to happiness is considered good. EssentiallyRead MoreWho Is The Categorical Imperative?882 Words   |  4 Pageswith Kant. Zimmer also talks of John Stuart Mill, who by contrast argued that the rules of right and wrong should above all else achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people even though particular individuals might be worse off as a result. John Stuart Mill, a British philosopher, studied Jeremy Bentham’s Utilitarian theory which, is based on the notion that behavioral laws should be guided by the principle of increasing pleasure not pain. Although Mill was impressed with Bentham’s theoryRead MoreAristotle s Ethics And Ethics Essay891 Words   |  4 Pagespeople desire a conclusive theory on ethic s. It is human nature to demand a clear path that does not meander into oblivion. Matters Ethics and Morality take twists and turns that seem to end in no specific action plan. Philosophers that came after J.S mill, Bentham, Kant, Aristotle and many more have strived to find a conclusive theory to Ethics. Ethics and any other branch of Philosophy has proven to be so problematic. Applicability of Ethics peddled by recent philosophers might prove to be as futileRead MoreMoral Judgements Are Morally Wrong?2025 Words   |  9 PagesAlternatively, consequentialism is the view that actions should be deemed morally right or wrong based on the outcomes an action has. A consequentialist would compare the end results of two different actions and their interest is in the conclusion of the action. Utilitarianism is a branch of consequentialism that believes that the best action is the one that promotes the most utility. This also means that actions need to present the most overall good for all and not just a single person. John Stuart Mill, a