The term utilitarianism can also be known as utilism. This idea correlates with the term utility to maximize its usefulness and on the other hand minimize the negative aspect of utility. Before we define utility lets understand the term utility first. Utility can be defined as the pleasurable satisfaction in matters mean the most in ones life. These things may vary, for example, knowledge, love, wealth, power, and education. Utilitarianism tends to fulfill the desires of utility using a moral approach that gives the moral worth of a sentient person. Therefore, utilitarianism can be defined as the idea that maximizes or minimizes the preferences of utility. John Stuart Mill is a proponent of this theory. In the first chapter of his article he finds basis of morality in science, that is, it is based on the sense of experience of the natural laws (Mill chapter 1). He defends this theory in a very interesting perspective. First, he defines that Utilitarianism is the basic and fundamental moral premise that we should adopt for self-fulfillment and great happiness that we hope for. He equates the essence of being happy to happiness. However, he emphasizes that not all pleasures the same or equal value. He gives first priority to the pleasures that are aesthetic and are evoked from the mind. The second priority he gives to the pleasures that are evoked from the body. In the last chapter he defends the rights of women and generally the rights of the common man.
In brief summary, John Stuart Mill argues about the intrinsic values in a moral perspective. The extrinsic or the negative aspects of utility like pain are neglected and he ideally focuses on happiness. Like the worth of science he classifies them as first priorities. These first priorities of are the higher pleasures which are valuable. He classifies the pleasures like eating delicious foods to be higher pleasures and he argues that they are only defined from developing an agreement of experienced observers. Hence, these acts that bring higher pleasures are right and need to be motivated. If they produce the greatest happiness to an individual, then they are the fundamental stepping stone for ethics and morality. This brings equality.
He justifies this argument by resenting the aspect of intuitive view on morality. He finds it selfish! He prefers the inductive view which bases on facts. That is, inductive view as an approach to scientific research and findings. He bases his argument on the freedom of self. He allows the difference in opinion of anything that is visible or desirable. Hence he looks closer at the intrinsic features that are worth and should be not selfish.
From John Stuart Mill’s argument we find his hedonism approach. This theory puts across very many potential risks. For example, it allows individuals to execute pleasurable things to themselves out of their free will to promote the greatest good for the person. There is justice, however, not ethical under deontological theory. One can decide to abort a young one for her own good. This is right because the degree of good is not stipulated in the theory. Thus, very risky and may lead to promiscuous indulgence that aims at the self fulfillment at the greatest level.
Lastly, the perspective has a lot of laws that may raise eyebrows because it is difficult to quantify pleasurable moments. This clearly states an individual’s rights which are vulnerable to be abused. There is a lee way for personal suicide because the proponents agree to the great numbers that democratically support the highest pleasure.
Work Cited
Mill, Stuart, John. Utilitarianism, 1863. Web.