Bentham And Mill And Utilitarianism

Submitted By jesshall07
Words: 862
Pages: 4
Open Document
Bentham and Mill – Utilitarianism
Bentham was basically the inventor of utilitarianism and Utilitarianism is when we wish to have more pleasure than pain and situations should ensure that pleasure outweighs pain. However Bentham refuses to define pleasure and pain philosophically and takes them at face value. Bentham saw happiness as quantitative theory and believed it could be measures, therefore Bentham put forward the idea of hedonistic calculus as a way of measuring pleasure. The hedonic calculus consists of seven suggested factors of which you should follow to measure pleasure. The seven consisted of intensity(how intense the pleasure is); duration ( how long does pleasure last); certainty(how certain is it that pleasure will be attained);Nearness ( how close is the pleasure to being obtained) ; fruitfulness(how much does the immediate pleasure generate long or short term happiness); purity (how pure is the pleasure) and extent(how many people are affected by this pleasure). However the hedonic calculus factors are nearly impossible to balance out and its inapplicable to practical situations. The reason Bentham though it would work is because he was very much an individualist who had no idea how good society was as a whole. Bentham was generally seen as an act utilitarian as he advocated the need to work out what is right or wrong based on an individual action and them deduce a rule through this however you cannot simply say he was an act utilitarian and act and rule utilitarianism cross over. There are quite a few weaknesses to Bentham’s theory as well as strengths. A main weakness of Bentham’s version is the fact that it can’t cope with emergency situations as you would not have time to measure out all the possibilities so you would have to act on instinct in case of emergencies. Another weakness is the fact that it is a self-defeating theory , morality is about giving us guidelines which we should all abide by in order to create the ideal community however if everyone acted according to it would produce a better world but its self-defeating as the world would in fact be made a worse place. However this theory does not just consist of weaknesses there are some strengths to this theory too. One of the main strengths of this theory was the fact that it was democratic, the fairest way to run something is by balancing out everyone’s differing interests which is exactly what happens in Benthams version as he chooses the situation which results in the greatest overall happiness which would be better when running countries as it would try and get the most people happiness. Another strength is the fact it’s an objective theory , you can measure the right or wrong of an action and this theory gives us an objective independent way of deciding what is right or wrong.
Mill came after Bentham and Mill’s father was best friends with Bentham. Mill had a different approach to utilitarianism and saw Utilitarianism in a broader way than Bentham. Mill was not interested in the truth but more was more interested in utility/usefulness. Mill also believed that happiness shouldn’t be an aim because if you strive to achieve happiness you cannot fulfil it. Mill also believed that we need to take into account the
Show More

Related Documents: Bentham And Mill And Utilitarianism

Essay on What Is the Difference Between Mill’s Qualitative Hedonism and Bentham’s Quantitative Hedonism? Which Is More Plausible as a Theory of Well-Being?

Bentham’s quantitative hedonism? Which is more plausible as a theory of well-being? Hedonism is the idea that well-being of people comes about through pleasure. Pure hedonism is the thought that it arises through and only through pleasure and both Bentham and Mill advocate different approaches for which hedonism may be the basis of human well-being. Both Philosophers then go on to construct theories of morality on the basis of this idea such that what should be maximised in a moral dilemma is the cumulative…

Words 1844 - Pages 8

Compare Jeremy Bentham’s Version of Mill’s. Is Either Version Adequate? Essay

Mill’s. Is either version adequate? Bentham and Mill are proponents of classical utilitarianism, a moral theory underpinned by two elements, consequentialism and hedonism. Utilitarianism, derived from the word utility meaning usefulness, holds that the merit of an action is to be judged only by the extent to which its outcome or consequence is useful or increases welfare of the individual or wider society, (Barber.,p.52). According to Bentham and Mill the most useful outcome in any situation…

Words 1984 - Pages 8

Utilitarianism and Bentham Essay

Outline the key features of utilitarianism (539 words) This theory of utilitarianism was defined by Jeremy Bentham. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist theory which means that moral actions are evaluated by the consequences or outcomes of the action. The theory suggests that there is one rule/maxim that everyone should follow in order to determine what is right and wrong, i.e. the principle of ‘utility’ which suggests that everyone should do the most useful thing which serves the greatest…

Words 891 - Pages 4

Outline Utilitairanism Essay example

Teleological thinkers would do. The theory of Utilitarianism was developed by Jeremy Bentham. Jeremy Bentham was born in London (1748-1832). He was a British philosopher, economist and social reformer. He was concerned with social conditions and becoming involved with hospitals ans prisons. He believed that women should have the right to vote and he also believed in the decriminalisation if homosexuality. In 1798 Bentham worked on legal reform and wrote the book 'The Principles of Morals and Legalisation'…

Words 1924 - Pages 8

Mill Utilitarianism

Both Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill's ethical theory were based on Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is closely related to hedonism because it takes the principle that pleasure and pain are things that make an action right or wrong. Utilitarianism is a theory to which morally good action are those whose consequences produce the greatest happiness. In this way, there are two basic elements that define utilitarianism: its way of relating the good to the happiness of individuals and their consequentialism…

Words 326 - Pages 2

Consequentialist Moral Theory

moral theory – utilitarianism, exploring two historical philosophical founders Jeremy Bentham and John Mill, their influence on utilitarianism. Examining utilitarianism in contemporary society. The influential Utilitarian scholars of consequentialism are the following, ancestors to the Pre- Classical Approach, Hutcheson (1694- 1746), Hume (1711-1776) Smith (1723-1790, Classical approach, Bentham (1748-1832), Mill (1806- 1873), Sidgwick (1838 – 1900), Ideal Utilitarianism, Moore (1973-1958), Negative…

Words 1334 - Pages 6

Jeremy Bertham Research Paper

Jeremy Bentham is an utilitarian philosopher and social reformer of the early Modern period. He is best known as the person who formulated the principle of utility, which calculate actions based upon their consequences. This means that the correct act is the one that would bring the greatest happiness of the greatest number. He said that human beings are ruled by two important factors; pleasure and pain. We seek pleasure and the avoidance of pain. Bertham also suggested a felicific calculus for estimating…

Words 253 - Pages 2

Utilitarianism and Pleasure Essay

Utilitarianism is a political-ethical theory that was developed by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill and that claims “all actions should be directed toward achieving the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people”[2]. By utility of actions what meant by Mill, is the satisfaction of actions to produce happiness in the society[3]. By happiness, what he meant is intended pleasure or the prevention of pain[4]. Mill also tries to define the essence of real pleasure. Mill’s pleasure conception…

Words 609 - Pages 3

Utilitarianism and Happiness Essay

Diderot, Helvetius, and Montesquieu. These notes focus mainly on the version of utilitarianism defended by John Stuart Mill as expressed in his classic work Utilitarianism (1861). [STUDENTS, PLEASE NOTE! His name is "M-I-L-L" (not "Mills").] But Mill (1806-1873) was not the first English-speaking utilitarian philosopher; Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), a friend of James Mill, J. S. Mill's father, is usually considered the founder of British utilitarianism. The contemporary philosopher Paul Taylor…

Words 3600 - Pages 15

Pros And Cons Of Utilitarianism

created by Jeremy Bentham during the enlightenment. Like his peers during this time, Bentham, attempted understand the world around him through reason and intellect which inspired him to create a moral philosophy that would mirror that sort of thought. Utilitarianism, as an ethical theory, in its simplest form is: seeking decisions that produce pleasure over pain. Bentham writes “Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure” (Bentham 1.1). Putting this…

Words 1613 - Pages 7