PHIL 4 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: John Stuart Mill, Station Wagon, Indulgence
10/9/17
John Stuart Mill
● “What utilitarianism is”
● Father was a philosophical radical who advocated representative democracy, universal
suffrage, and a scientific approach to philosophy
● Intense educational upbringing
● Famous social writing on LIberty, democracy, women’s rights, and utilitarianism
● Although socially progressive in many ways,he was a supporter of british colonies and
domination in india. Justified when dealing with “barbarians”
● Major contributor to Philosophy of Language
Confusion on the term “utilitarian”
- Designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive
- “She traded her sporty coupe for a utilitarian station wagon”
The greatest happiness principle (GHP)
● Utilitarianism holds that the foundations of morals is to be found in utility or what we can
all the greatest happiness principle
○ Happiness?
○ Aristotle argued that happiness is a subjective term
■ Not everyone can agree what happiness is
● “By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain and
the privation of pleasure” -mill
The swine objection
● sex , drugs, rock n roll
○ Is this your theory of good?
■ Mill says that no higher end than pleasure is no better and nobler object
of desire and pursuit is no better than swine
■ Beast pleasures do not satisfy a human being’s conceptions of happiness
■ Humans have faculties more elevated than animal appetites
● When a human has experienced both higher and base pleasures
then humans will choose the higher faculties
○ “It is better to be a human dissatisfied than pig satisfied”
A cultivated mind
● Higher pleasures will generally consist in observing and learning about things such as…
○ Nature
○ Art
○ Poetry
○ History
○ The ways of mankind
■ Developing a sense of comradery with your fellow human beings
○ Philosophy
● Everyone is capable of engaging and enjoying the higher pleasures, especially in today’s
society of vast wealthy. We should structure society as to cultivate them.
Document Summary
Father was a philosophical radical who advocated representative democracy, universal suffrage, and a scientific approach to philosophy. Famous social writing on liberty, democracy, women"s rights, and utilitarianism. Although socially progressive in many ways,he was a supporter of british colonies and domination in india. Designed to be useful or practical rather than attractive. She traded her sporty coupe for a utilitarian station wagon . Utilitarianism holds that the foundations of morals is to be found in utility or what we can all the greatest happiness principle. Aristotle argued that happiness is a subjective term. Not everyone can agree what happiness is. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain and the privation of pleasure -mill. Mill says that no higher end than pleasure is no better and nobler object of desire and pursuit is no better than swine. Beast pleasures do not satisfy a human being"s conceptions of happiness.
