POLS 250 Study Guide - Final Guide: John Stuart Mill, Jeremy Bentham, James Mill
9 Apr 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Pols 250 final exam summaries: john stuart mill. 1806-1873 son of james mill and godson of jeremy bentham, seeks to refine bentham"s theories. The quantity and quality of pleasure is important . Bentham"s assessment of haydn and the oyster as: Mill believes quality matters because there are higher and lower pleasures so choose. Mill"s informed preference test: must be taken by those who enjoy both kinds of pleasure tested. Of people who can experience both haydn and the oyster none would choose oyster. Hierarchy of pleasure: drinking a beer over scratching an itch, but reading poetry over drinking a beer. Empirical proof of utility principle: happiness is desirable. Since people pursue relationships making them happy and avoid pain it suggests that people desire happiness. Objection: is/ought fallacy because people pursue happiness, is it desirable: the greatest happiness is desirable. From the happiness of each to happiness of all gap: jump between happiness for one person and all.
