...ideas are set in stone and each philosopher has made it their own. The idea of morality that embodies most philosophies is trickier and is a mix of both a definition and opinion. No matter what the definition is, one persons’ opinion could interpret that definition in many different ways. Trying to establish the morality of an action is even trickier than the idea of morality itself. One philosopher will have one belief and another will have a completely different view and an outside person could interpret each of those philosophies in a different way. In the eyes of a utilitarian, such as John Stuart Mills, it would be considered morally justifiable to expend resources on luxuries when those same resources could provide others with the necessities of life. John Stuart Mill was historically known for utilitarianism. This means that he believed the morality of an action is determined by their consequences and uses the principle of utility to evaluate those said consequences. The principle of utility states that actions are right insofar as they promote happiness and wrong insofar as they produce the reverse of happiness. The utilitarianism that Mill is known for is broken into two separate forms. The first is act-utilitarianism; this view says that the particular consequences of each individual action is evaluated by reference to the principle of utility. The second is rule-utilitarianism; this view says that rules are established by reference to the principle of utility and then...
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...John Stuart Mill vs. Immanuel Kant The aim of this paper is to clearly depict how John Stuart Mill’s belief to do good for all is more appropriate for our society than Immanuel Kant’s principle that it is better to do what's morally just. I will explain why Mill’s theory served as a better guide to moral behavior and differentiate between the rights and responsibilities of human beings to themselves and society. Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill are philosophers who addressed the issues of morality in terms of how moral customs are formed. Immanuel Kant presented one perspective in The Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals that is founded on his belief that the worth of man is inherent in his skill to reason. John Stuart Mill holds another belief as presented in the book, Utilitarianism, which is seemingly conflicting with the thoughts of Kant. What is most unique about the ethics of morality is the idea of responsibilities to particular individuals. According to both Mill and Kant, moral obligations are not fundamentally particularistic because they are rooted in universal moral principles. Both philosophers have made great impacts in their niche areas in the field. An analysis of their theories may help develop a better understanding of them and their theories. Mill holds an empiricist theory while Kant holds a rationalist theory. Kant explains morality through forms that he believes are essential to free and sensible judgment. Mill’s utilitarian approach...
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...The harm principle is a theory by John Stuart Mill that is one of the oldest principles that connects law and morals. The harm principle states that “the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others” (Tasson et al., 2015, p. 106). In other words, Mill believes it is only justifiable for the state to intervene in the private life of an individual, when their actions brings harms to other. Mill’s main argument in his harm theory is that, in the private life of an individual, one should be free to their opinion and do as they please “at their own cost” (Tasson et al., 2015, p. 106). This principle is important to John Stuart Mill because he believes...
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...and, which can be displayed through the Internet, adult movies, magazines and adult stores. Obscenity laws in Canada use the community standards models to determine which pornographic material are in accordance with societal morals, and which should be categorized as obscene. John Stuart Mill and the Harms of Pornography is an article written by David Dyzenhaus in 1992, professor of Law and Philosophy at the University of Toronto. In his article, he raises an interesting idea that liberalists and feminists would support the censorship of pornography (Dyzenhaus, 1992). The feminist viewpoint argues that pornography shows men forcing women into sex; therefore it should be censored because of the harm it causes against women. Dyzenhaus then hypothesizes that because pornography is portrayed as violent material, the classical liberalists such as John Stuart Mill would defend the feminists in censoring such behavior based on his harm principle. The article also raises gender inequality issues of contemporary society, one being the subordination of men to women. Three political philosophies are concerned with the law of obscenity: liberalism, conservatism and feminism. Conservative morality takes into consideration the elements of virtue or wickedness behind pornography and asks if the material in question poses threat to society. Liberalism, alternatively, is concerned with the repercussive effects of withholding such material from the public, and whether it would be more detrimental...
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...Three questions were raised. (CITATION page 5) What is happiness? What is the morally right way to live or to act? What is the relation between happiness and morality? All three questions centered on Mill and his beliefs. Mill answers with “happiness is pleasure,” “the right way to act is to produce the greatest amount of happiness,” and finally “the individual’s happiness will be found in doing what is morally right.” Personally those all sound like great answers, but I argue with his answers. Happiness may be pleasure for some but that can be falsified because of not everyone thinking the same as Mill. For example a murderer could find pleasure in killing which, does not back up his way of thinking. A murderer may find it pleasurable and his/her way of happiness, but in reality that would be unacceptable and morally wrong. Besides that example you have those who believe that love is the key to happiness, while others find money the key to happiness, it all depends on who that person is, and why they think a certain item, or emotion will bring them...
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...(Lecture Note). According to The Story of Ethics Bentham states that the principle of utility recognizes right and wrong and the causes and effects from right and wrong. These effects can lead to the nature of mankind being either in pain or pleasure and “Bentham assumes that one can only act according to their aversion to pain or desire for pleasure” (The Story of Ethics). The understanding that I have gained from Bentham’s theory is that good and bad is judged by pleasure and pain that is the greater the pleasure the greater the good and the greater the pain the greater the bad. Bentham’s theory is the ethical position that influenced both John Stuart Mill and his father James Mill. According to an article in the Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia “the central aim of John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism is to defend the view that those acts that produce the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people are right and good” (Salem Press). The Story of Ethics states that Mill’s believed that Christian belief which is not universally accepted could no longer provide a moral consensus. Instead Mill’s believed that his theory of Utilitarianism which is “based on human psychology in a person’s desire for happiness and...
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...Kant Versus Mill On Morality Philosophy Essay Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher born in 1724 and died in 1804. His philosophical writings influenced people, not only in Europe but the world over. Centuries later, his works still form a major point of reference in studies carried out in the modern world. His writings were such that they brought a new dimension in religion, law and history. Among his many works was the ‘Metaphysics of Morals’ which form the basis for this paper. His view of morals is that our desires and emotions are categorically imperative, meaning that they are conscience driven. His philosophy is closely related to the golden rule which states that one should always act in accordance to the outcome that will give him the best outcome, while the categorical imperative rule of Kant seems to suggest that actions must be universal for them to be classified as either moral or immoral (Thomas, p10) John Stuart Mill on the other hand was a British philosopher born in 1806 and died in 1873. He also strongly contributed to the development of philosophical views that have continued to influence different aspects in different disciplines like sociology, politics and economy. Among his many developments is the utilitarianism theory that explains morality. Mill argues that the usefulness or moral worth of an action is determined by its utility (pleasure or satisfaction derived from the consequences of the action). Mill seems to suggest that our emotions and desires...
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...and rational approach to morality which would suit the changing society of the industrial age. Utilitarianism basically says that happiness is the key to life’s conquest, and happiness that is the determination of right or wrong. So if an action’s consequence causes happiness, then the action is right, if it causes pain, or destroys happiness then the action is wrong.Utilitarianism may be regarded as a relativist, consequentialist and teleological system of ethics, giving no fixed moral rules and judging an action by its consequences or end result. Jeremy Bentham, and his disciple John Stuart Mill have become recognised as the two greatest sponsors of Utilitarianism. Bentham is known for his popularisation of the more traditional version of the theory, known as Act Utilitarianism. Although a student of Bentham, Mill could see problems in what he was being taught and so began to develop his own views in his own version called Rule Utilitarianism. Bentham’s main philosophy of Act Utilitarianism is to create the “greatest good for the greatest number”. So for example, if you are in a situation where lying would bring about the greatest good then, you should lie. Utilitarians support the view that it is the value of the consequences of the particular act that count, so if breaking the law would lead to the greatest good for the majority then it would be the correct act to follow. Bentham argued that one should maximise happiness for the majority, a view which is known as the ‘Utility...
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...Jessica Salinas Theories of Morality Throughout the evolutionary process of rules and regulations that we abide by, we come to a discrete conclusion that "morality" has complete power over our beings. Morality is the quality of being in accord with standards of right or good conduct. The installation of a moral system is vital in every society. Yet, every moral system must deal with the major conflicting general moral issues: Consequentialism versus Non-consequentialism; Self versus Other-Interestedness; Act Utilitarianism versus Rule Utilitarianism; and Emotion versus reason as well as others. The approaches that are used to deal with these issues are up to the person which dilemma or situation is best fitted. In order to use one of these methods you have to understand these theories and their purposes. Immanuel Kant was a dominant philosopher of his time (1724-1804), the theory of Kant is the most difficult to understand but when understood is a simple approach. Kant argues that “the moral worth of an action is to be judged not by its consequences but by the nature of the maxim or principal that motivated the action”(Cahn pg. 98). The only actions that are correct are the ones that can serve as universal laws. People should act only on principles or maxims that can be universalized without contradiction. Another theory that is the theory of a leading English philosopher known as John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), his theory differentiates between Kant’s in that...
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...happiness is unattainable. Three philosophers Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, and Immanuel Kant all agreed to Aristotle’s belief that virtue is necessary to attain happiness. It is the role of virtue in attaining happiness and what constitutes virtue or morality that is the issue that is disputed. Jeremy Bentham believed in the pleasure and pain principle which was that happiness was identified with pleasure and with an absence of pain. He believe all people should seek happiness and pleasure. Bentham identified 7 principles of pleasure 1. Its intensity2. Its duration.3. Its certainty or uncertainty.4. Its propinquity or remoteness.5. Its fecundity.6. Its purity.And one other; to wit:7. Its extent; To Bentham the extent meant to how many people this pleasure would reach. He was one of the fathers of Utilitarianism whose doctrine was “the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people. This outlook was what constituted virtue for Bentham. If you did something that made a great number of people happy he considered this virtuous and in turn makes you happy. Also in turn if it made a few people happy and gave many more pain this would be considered not virtuous. However he did believe that no motive is intrinsically bad nor good. The motive is always to attain pleasure it is not until the action resulting from the motive that causes pain in others than in that case would be evil. John Stuart Mill was influenced by Bentham greatly and holds many of the...
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...well-being and decide to act accordingly. Williams explains that utilitarianism recognizes no personal commitments, causes, or any other such related activities and any individual who tried to live as an utilitarian would not be able to live with integrity (Williams 1973). A utilitarian might argue that his identity-conferring commitments, which Williams argues would undermine his personal integrity, would have compliance with utilitarian principals. So, there would be no conflict between his integrity and utilitarianism because the latter would include the former. Ashford believes that a virtue of utilitarianism is that it highlights the threats to our objective integrity given our world of extreme poverty and suffering (Ashford 2000). Any view which...
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...Catherine Chamberlain Grizli777 John stuart mill Catherine Chamberlain Grizli777 John stuart mill John Stuart Mill was born in London in 1806. In 1873 Mill wrote an autobiography gave great examples about his life and the education he had received. Mill was given this education by his father with the assistance of Jeremy Bentham and Francis Place (Mautner, 2014). Mill had learned to speak Greek by the age of three and then Latin a little later on. Mill was a competent logician by the age of twelve. At age sixteen he had already became a well-trained economist. Mill then suffered a nervous breakdown at the age of twenty and used this nervous breakdown to come to the realization he needed more in life than just devotion to the public good and an analytically sharp intellect (Mautner, 2014). As he had grown up a utilitarian, Mill now listened to Wordsworth, Goethe, and Coleridge to help cultivate his aesthetic sensibilities (Mautner, 2014). Mill wanted the British public to understand that there was a need for a scientific approach to understand the political, economic, and social change that was happening. In Mill’s autobiography he claims he introduced the word “utilitarian” to the English language when he was only sixteen. Mill had come into contact with the idea of utilitarian thought early on in life. In Mills writing of Utilitarianism (1861) he tries to justify the utilitarian principle as the foundation for morals (Schefczyk, 2014). The utilitarian...
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...Immanuel Kant adheres to Deontological ethics. His theory offers a view of morality based on the principle of good will and duty. According to him, people can perform good actions solely by good intentions without any considerations to consequences. In addition, one must follow the laws and the categorical imperative in order to act in accordance with and from duty. Several other philosophers such as Hannah Arendt discuss Kant’s moral philosophy. In her case study: “The Accused and Duties of a Law-Abiding Citizen”, Arendt examines how Adolf Eichmann’s actions conformed to Kant’s moral precepts but also how they ran of afoul to his conception of duty. In contrast, John Stuart Mill adopts a teleological view of moral philosophy. He exposes his view of consequentialism and utilitarianism to argue that an action is morally right only to the extent that it maximizes the aggregate happiness of all parties involved regardless of the motive. In the present paper, I will expose Kant’s moral precepts and the importance of duty in his Deontological principles. Then, I will evaluate Arendt’s report on Adolf Eichmann to analyze the ways in which his actions were in accordance to or against Kant’s moral philosophy. I will conclude my discussion with an evaluation of Mill’s approach to morality in order to examine the differences between his teleological philosophy and Kant’s ethical principles. Kant’s moral philosophy is based on the categorical imperative (CI), good will, and duty. According...
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...philosopher called Jeremy Bentham introduced this moral concept in the 18th and 19th century. The utilitarian’s describes utilitarianism, as “the actions are morally permissible if and only if they produce at least as much net happiness as any another available action”. Also, this paper we would explain the concepts by John Stuart Mill Theory on utilitarianism. History During the 18th century, there was a revolution in Europe that not only affected the industries, but also government regulations like liberty, equality and fraternity. The result of this revolution helped in creating new modernized Europe. This...
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...Morality (from the Latin moralitas "manner, character, proper behavior") is the differentiation of intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are distinguished as proper and those that are improper.[1] Morality can be a body of standards or principles derived from acode of conduct from a particular philosophy, religion, or culture, or it can derive from a standard that a person believes should be universal.[2] Morality may also be specifically synonymous with "goodness" or "rightness." Moral philosophy includes moral ontology, or the origin of morals, as well as moral epistemology, or knowledge about morals. Different systems of expressing morality have been proposed, including deontological ethical systems which adhere to a set of established rules, and normative ethical systems which consider the merits of actions themselves. An example of normative ethical philosophy is the Golden Rule, which states that: "One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself."[3] Immorality is the active opposition to morality (i.e. opposition to that which is good or right), while amorality is variously defined as an unawareness of, indifference toward, or disbelief in any set of moral standards or principles. An initial naïve attempt at a descriptive definition of “morality” might take it to refer to the most important code of conduct put forward by a society and accepted by the members of that society. But the existence of large and heterogeneous societies raises...
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