The utilitarianism quotes below are all either spoken by john stuart mill or refer to john stuart mill. These are the sources and citations used to research utilitarianism. John stuart mills utilitarianism is one of the most important, controversial, and suggestive works of moral philosophy ever written. John stuart mill 18061873 was a follower of bentham, and, through most of his life, greatly admired benthams work even though he disagreed with some of benthams claims particularly on the nature of happiness. Mill defends the view that all human action should produce the greatest happiness overall, and that happiness itself is to be understood as.
Foreign honorary memebr of american academy, lord rector of the university of st. Selfreform as political reform in the writings of john stuart mill. John stuart mill opens his essay, utilitarianism, by mentioning that theres little progress being made toward a standard system that judges peoples actions as morally right or wrong. Contains mills most famous and influential works, utilitarianism and on liberty as well as his important essay on bentham. A suggested list of literary criticism on john stuart mill s utilitarianism. The speech is significant both because its topic remains timely and because its arguments illustrate the applicability of the principle of utility to questions of largescale social policy. He was especially anxious to make it clear that he included in utility the pleasures of the imagination and read more. The character of john stuart mill in utilitarianism from. John stuart mill s book utilitarianism is a classic exposition and defence of utilitarianism in ethics. The history of utilitarianism stanford encyclopedia of. Reissued here in its corrected second edition of 1864, this essay by john stuart mill argues for a utilitarian theory of morality. John stuart mill based his utilitarian principle on the decisions. Their combined citations are counted only for the first article. The blackwell guide to mills utilitarianism volume is an ideal commentary for students on mills classic essay.
Reissued here in its corrected second edition of 1864, this essay by john stuart mill 180673 argues for a utilitarian theory of morality. Like whatever may be the opinion of utilitarian moralists as to the original conditions by which virtue is made virtue. Analysing utilitarianism by john stuart mill philosophy essay. John stuart mills utilitarianism is a classic philosophical defense of utilitarianism. I found that this book was helpful and a good alternative to personally checking out the book from a library. These are the sources and citations used to research john stuart mill. While rousseau posited a noble savage and marxian socialists have forecast human perfectibility, saint augustine and succeeding generations of catholic and protestant thinkers have asserted the principle of original sin. The essay first appeared as a series of three articles published in frasers magazine in 1861 vol. John stuart mills utilitarianism, which first appeared in three installments of frasers. All citations of mill are taken from the collected works of john stuart mill.
May 30, 2017 in this video, i take a look at john stuart mill s utilitarianism. Driver 2010 and schneewind 1977 provide useful accounts. John was raised from birth by his father for the primary purpose of progressing the utilitarian theories which both he and bentham ascribed. Essay about john stuart mill and utilitarianism words. Utilitarianism and war introduction war and violence have bedeviled humanity throughout recorded history.
Of the ultimate sanction of the principle of utility. John stuart mill 20 may 1806 7 may 1873, usually cited as j. John stuart mill and jeremy bentham on utilitarianism. This cited by count includes citations to the following articles in scholar. English philosopher and social reformer john stuart mill was one of the major intellectual figures of the 19th century and a founding member of the utilitarian society. The work is summarized with reference to jeremy bentham and ursula k. Jeremy bentham was born into a rich family,educated at westminster school and then advanced his studies at queens college, oxford.
John stuart mill and utilitarianism utilitarianism defined, is the contention that a man should judge everything based on the ability to promote the greatest individual happiness. Utilitarianism by john stuart mill cambridge university press. The blackwell guide to mill s utilitarianism 2006 blackwell pub. Of what sort of proof the principle of utility is susceptible. March 2020 learn how and when to remove this template message. Quick and accurate citation program save time when referencing make your student life easy and fun pay only once with our forever plan. Utilitarianism, on liberty, considerations on representative government. He held radical views for the time, advocating universal suffrage and equality for women. John stuart mill s utilitarianism is one of the most important, controversial, and suggestive works of moral philosophy ever written.
He was also a utilitarian philosopher, a philosophy which seeks to maximise the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Mill s aim in the book is to explain what utilitarianism is, to show why it is the best. In this video, i take a look at john stuart mills utilitarianism. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. The blackwell guide to mills utilitarianism wiley online books. The listed critical essays and books will be invaluable for writing essays and papers on utilitarianism. Victorian england, mills utilitarianism became one of the defining documents of modern british and american liberalism. Utilitarianism second edition john stuart mill, george. John stuart mills book utilitarianism is a classic exposition and defence of utilitarianism in. Includes selections from bentham and john austin, the two thinkers who most influenced mill.
Act utilitarianism is a long standing and well supported philosophical argument that when boiled down to its most basic elements, can be described as creating the greatest good for the greatest number 122. Enjoy the best john stuart mill quotes at brainyquote. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Mill defines utilitarianism as a theory based on the principle that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the.
The blackwell guide to mills utilitarianism, 1st ed. After this, mill decided to develop a new version of utilitarianism that did not conflict with his newly discovered attitude. Utilitarianism other bibliographies cite this for me. Dubbed the most influential englishspeaking philosopher of the nineteenth century, mills conception of liberty justified the freedom. As the son of james mill, john stuart was given an intensive private education, in which he began greek at the age of three, and latin and six of the dialogues of plato at the age of eight mill himself remarks that the theaetetus might have been a little much for him. Le guins the ones who walk away from omelas, and rodger. Quick and accurate citation program save time when referencing. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one. British philosopher and economist john stuart mill 180673 is the author of several essays, including utilitarianism 1863 a defence of jeremy benthams principle applied to the field of ethics and the subjection of women 1869, which advocates legal equality between the sexes. Utilitarianism, by john stuart mill, is an essay written to provide support for the value of utilitarianism as a moral theory, and to respond to misconceptions about it. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of liberalism, he contributed widely to social theory, political theory and political economy. On liberty 1859, utilitarianism 1861 and an examination of sir william.
Reconciling the contradictions of mills preferencebased utilitarianism. Utilitarianism, in normative ethics, a tradition stemming from the late 18th and 19thcentury english philosophers and economists jeremy bentham and john stuart mill according to which an action is right if it tends to promote happiness and wrong if it tends to produce the reverse of happinessnot just the happiness of the performer of the action but also that of everyone affected by it. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of classical liberalism, he contributed widely to social theory, political theory, and political economy. Introduction to john stuart mills utilitarianism by g. Utilitarianism volume 3 of the works of john stuart mill. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of utilitarianism by john stuart mill. Utilitarianism john stuart mill mcmaster faculty of. Utilitarianism john stuart mills philosophy followed the doctrines of his father james mill and his fathers mentor and compatriate, jeremy bentham. The work from which our reading is taken, utilitarianism, deepens and strengthens the greatest happiness principle of jeremy bentham and his. Originally printed as a series of three articles in frasers magazine in 1861, the work sought to refine the greatest happiness principle that had been championed by jeremy bentham 17481832. Thomas buckle history of england hurt idea of justice illustrations individual injustice interest james martineau jean ingelow john stuart mill john tyndall lectures library edition ll. The very best introduction to utilitarianism is found in shaw 1999. Utilitarianism quotes explanations with page numbers.
Originally printed as a series of three articles in frasers magazine in 1861, the work sought to refine the greatest happiness principle that had been championed by jeremy bentham, defending it from common criticisms, and offering a justification of its validity. A suggested list of literary criticism on john stuart mills utilitarianism. General remarks most scornfully reject its authority. In the following excerpt from his long philosophical essay utilitarianism, mill relies on strategies of classification and division to defend the utilitarian doctrine that. It appears to the present writer, that a work similar in its object and general conception to that of adam smith, but adapted to the more extended knowledge and improved ideas of the present age, is the kind of contribution which political economy at. In other words utilitarianism states that good is what brings the most happiness to the most people. John stuart mill 180673 was the most influential english language.
John stuart mill 18061873 philosopher, economist, and advocate of womens rights. Utilitarianism quotes by john stuart mill goodreads. Utilitarianism edition 2 available in paperback, nook book. Mill defends the view that all human action should produce the greatest happiness overall, and that happiness itself is to be understood as consisting in higher and lower pleasures. Utilitarianism, by john stuart mill the selfdevelopment of the individual in his in. Including essay on bentham and selections from the writings of jeremy bentham and john austin. John stuart mill stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Foreign honorary memebr of american academy, lord rector of. Dubbed the most influential englishspeaking philosopher of the nineteenth century, mills.
Mills moral and political philosophy stanford encyclopedia. Utilitarianism essays are academic essays for citation. This expanded edition of john stuart mills utilitarianism includes the text of his 1868 speech to the british house of commons defending the use of capital punishment in cases of aggravated murder. Crown 8vo mankind maps maxims means medium 8vo ment mind moral obligation moralists motive ness. Utilitarianism, by john stuart mill 72 words 6 pages. For over 2000 years, philosophers have tried to lay the foundation of morality, but have yet to come closer to an agreement of what the notions of right. John stuart mill 20 may 1806 8 may 1873 was an english philosopher, political economist and civil servant. He was especially anxious to make it clear that he included in utility the pleasures of the imagination and. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on monday, january 12, 2015. Mill, was a british philosopher, political economist, and civil servant. The speech is significant both because its topic remains timely and because its arguments illustrate the applicability of the principle of. John stuart mill 1806 1873, was a leading political philosopher of the nineteenth century. The blackwell guide to mills utilitarianism 2006 blackwell pub.
This remarkable man, whose system of thought will long remain one of the landmarks in the history of philosophical speculation, does, in the treatise in question, lay down a universal first principle as the origin and ground of moral obligation. Mill defines utilitarianism as a theory based on the principle that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. Contains mill s most famous and influential works, utilitarianism and on liberty as well as his important essay on bentham. John stuart mill history bibliographies cite this for me. Utilitarianism, in normative ethics, a tradition stemming from the late 18th and 19thcentury english philosophers and economists jeremy bentham and john stuart mill according to which an action is right if it tends to promote happiness and wrong if it tends to produce the reverse of happiness. Uses the 1871 edition of utilitarianism, the last to be published in mill s lifetime.
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