PHIL 230 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: John Stuart Mill, Value Theory, Hedonism

• School: McGill University
• Department: Philosophy
• Course: PHIL 230
• Professor: Bruno Guindon

Document Summary

An introduction to the principles of morals and legislation pub. Bentham was a close friend of the mill family and had a major influence on the young. Bentham and mill both think that there is a moral principle for everyone to follow. Mill is offering a moral theory (utilitarianism) and a moral theory (which actions re worth pursuing) Mills moral theory: the principle of utility: content of the principle (bentham ch. 1; mill ch. 2) Right if it tends to increase total happiness. Wrong if it tends to decrease total happiness. Happiness=pleasure (or pleasure minus pain); total happiness= the sum of the pleasure (i. e, pleasure minus pain) of every person concerned. 2: the first two sentences of the first para. of pg. (cid:1008)(cid:1007)1 (cid:862)the utilita(cid:396)ia(cid:374) sta(cid:374)da(cid:396)d is the g(cid:396)eatest a(cid:373)ou(cid:374)t of happi(cid:374)ess altogethe(cid:396)(cid:863) Fi(cid:396)st pa(cid:396)a. of p. (cid:1008)1 (cid:862)the happi(cid:374)ess of all (cid:272)o(cid:374)(cid:272)e(cid:396)(cid:374)ed(cid:863: status of the principle (bentham chs. 1,2; mill chs. 1,2)