What Utilitarianism Is by Mill Essay Example for Free

What Utilitarianism Is by Mill Essay Mill, in his attempt to define what utilitarianism is, is also trying to defend the concept against wrong notions. Mill is correcting the wrong idea that utilitarianism could be equated happiness of any kind even as that of a swine or a beast. In asserting that utilitarianism or the greatest happiness principle should be viewed on higher ground than that of the beast, the author points out the comparison with the lower form of animals as degrading since human being’s faculties are higher that of the animal appetites.   Mill explains that by using the different level of happiness, as he points out the great advantage of being human over a satisfied fool or the advantage of dissatisfied Socrates over a satisfied or happy fool.[1]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  A wrong notion that utilitarianism is focused on the agent’s own happiness is also another point explained by Mill.   Thus in advocating the greatest amount of happiness altogether for a greater number of people over the agent’s own happiness, which may consists in having some pain, Mill also supports the cultivation of nobleness of character[2] if happiness will come out as result. This is of course with the premise that pleasures or happiness through the intellect or from moral sentiments are of higher value that those from mere sensation.   Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Mill’s emphasis of the primacy of mental pleasure over those bodily ones should be a strong way to emphasize the significance of the utilitarianism and to avoid comparison of the term with those which cannot have mental pleasures. Work Cited: Mill, John Stuart, Utilitarianism, Routledge, 1863 [1] Mill, John Stuart, Utilitarianism, Routledge, 1863 [2] Mill, John Stuart, Utilitarianism, Routledge, 1863