1. John Stuart Mill’s Moral Theory

2. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) English Member of Parliament
Wrote on many subjects

3. Consequentialist Theory
Right or correct behavior is based
upon the consequences of the
action

4. The Greatest Happiness Principle
Utilitarianism
The Greatest Happiness Principle
Jeremy Bentham

5. Cost Benefit Analysis
You weight the cost against the benefit for each option
You pick the one with the highest benefit and the lowest cost

6. Greatest amount of happiness For the greatest number of people
Act to create the
Greatest amount of happiness
For the greatest number of people
As per a disinterested spectator

7. Greatest Number of People
Everybody that your action will effect

8. Disinterested Spectator
Objectivity
Your happiness cannot be more important than anyone else’s

9. Happiness defined
Pleasure
Absence of Pain

10. Hedonism The goal is to experience as much pleasure as possible
Usually physical pleasure

11. Epicureanism
The goal is to experience as much pleasure as possible without experiencing any pain
Only the best wine, food
No hangovers

12. Different Kinds of Pleasure
Quality
Quantity
Mental and Physical

13. Quality of Pleasure
How many McDonald’s hamburgers equals a Filet Mignon?
None because the quality is different!
Some pleasures are simply better than others

14. Quantity of Pleasure
Whatever you enjoy, isn’t more of it better?

15. Point of Diminishing Returns
But we reach a point in our pleasure where more is not better but actually painful
How many pieces of candy do you like?
5,10,15,?
How about a 1,000?

16. Paradox of Hedonism
The more pleasure you derive from something, the more you need of it next time to receive the same amount of pleasure
Drugs and Alcohol

17. Mental v. Physical
Which is Superior?
Mental

18. Why? Based upon empirical evidence Ask those who have experienced both
They agree that mental is superior

19. Why is Mental Superior?
1. Last longer
2. Safer
3. Less Expensive

20. Act Utilitarianism
An action is right if it produces more total happiness than any other alternative action available at the time

21. Visit Aunt Go to Beach Me
My Mom
My Dad
My Aunt
My Friends
Total

22. Rule Utilitarianism After many acts, we develop a principle
that if general followed
would create the greatest amount of happiness
for all people involved

23. 2. Focuses too exclusively on the future
Criticisms
1. Requires too much
2. Focuses too exclusively on the future
3. Can lead to injustice