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John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)

John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). Biography. Born in London; father also a philosopher and friend of Jeremy Bentham, whose ideas influenced Utilitarianism. Vigorous education; no emotional support from father. Read poetry to develop emotionally; contributed to his moral philosophy.

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John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)

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  1. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)

  2. Biography • Born in London; father also a philosopher and friend of Jeremy Bentham, whose ideas influenced Utilitarianism. • Vigorous education; no emotional support from father. • Read poetry to develop emotionally; contributed to his moral philosophy. • Harriett Taylor influenced ideas, especially liberal views on feminism.

  3. Jeremy Bentham’s Philosophy • Pain and pleasure motivate all human activity. • Pleasure brings happiness (hedonism: happiness for the greatest number of people). • Psychological hedonism: pain and pleasure determine what we should do. • Ethical hedonism: pain and pleasure determine what we ought to do; actions are only good if they bring us pleasure.

  4. Bentham’s Ideas (cont.) • Utility: what is useful; pleasure-producing or pain-avoiding. • 4 sources of pleasure: physical, political, moral, and religious. • 7 elements of pleasure: intensity (how strong it is), duration (how long it lasts), certainty (how sure it will occur), propinquity (how soon it will occur), fecundity (how likely it will produce another pleasure), purity (how free from pain), extent (how many people will experience it). • The Hedonic Calculus: using elements, could calculate the action that would produce the greatest amount of happiness.

  5. Mill’s Utilitarianism • What makes an action right are its consequences. • Principle of Utility: Consequences that result in the greatest amount of pleasure for the greatest number of people is the morally right thing to do. • Unlike Bentham, Mill assigns higher importance to some pleasures: moral, intellectual or emotional pleasures; the quality of pleasures differ.

  6. Mill’s Ideas (cont.) • Education: with education, we could all lead healthy, dignified lives. • Human Liberty: Freedom of expression; criticize government/religion; avoid conformity. • Women’s Rights: independence, education, politics.

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