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UT PHL 301 - Utilitarianism, Part 2

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PHL 301 1st Edition Lecture 17Outline of Last Lecture I.BenthamII.MillOutline of Current LectureI.Carlyle’s objection and Mill’s responseII.Kinds of pleasuresa.Intellectualb.Socialc.SensualIII.Kinds of moral theoryIV.Calculating pleasure versus painCurrent LectureThomas Carlyle’s objection to Utilitarianism is that it treats humans as pigs. He argues that utilitarianism defines “good” as feeling good. John Stuart Mill, however, responds essentially that the goal of utilitarianism is to maximize the good of human beings as a species. This could have two implications: 1) Each person can promote his own good, so we are all best off when each tends his own, or 2) One’s capacities, talents, and intellect produce benefits for mankind, not just for oneself. Mill argues to Carlyle’s claim of utilitarianism as “pig philosophy” with the idea that pigs pursue purely sensual pleasures, but humans are capable of other kinds as well.Mill then concludes that certain kinds of pleasures are better than others. By the time hewrites Utilitarianism, he believes that higher pleasures constitute virtues and benefits for others. However, he wonders which pleasures are higher. A competent judge for two different types of pleasures would be one who has experienced both. Mill concludes that all pleasures boil down to intellectual pleasures, such as learning, social pleasures, such as seeing old friends,and sensual pleasures, such as pigs rolling around in the mud. Additionally, Mill analyzes moral theory. Aristotle had proposed one based on character, Kant, on motive, and “rules” propose one based on action. Utilitarianism’s moral theory is basedon effects of actions of motives of character. In this way, it encompasses all previous theories about morality.These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.Calculating pleasure versus pain is important to Utilitarianism. There are good actions and bad actions, but there are also better and worse actions. For example, a person can consider “What should I do?” or “What must I do?” There are supererogatory acts, which go above and beyond the


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