Utilitarianism

by John Stuart Mill

Overview

Reissued here in its corrected second edition of 1864, this essay by John Stuart Mill (1806-73) argues for a utilitarian theory of morality. Originally printed as a series of three articles in Fraser's Magazine in 1861, the work sought to refine the 'greatest happiness' principle that had been championed by Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), defending it from common criticisms, and offering a justification of its validity. Following Bentham, Mill holds that actions can be judged as right or wrong depending on whether they promote happiness or 'the reverse of happiness'. Although attracted by Bentham's consequentialist framework based on empirical evidence rather than intuition, Mill separates happiness into 'higher' and 'lower' pleasures, arguing for a weighted system of measurement when making and judging decisions. Dissected and debated since its first appearance, the essay is Mill's key discussion on the topic and remains a fundamental text in the study of ethics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781108077934
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	08/21/2014
Series:	Cambridge Library Collection - Philosophy
Pages:	108
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.28(d)

About the Author

Katarzyna de Lazari-Radek is Assistant Professor in the Institute of Philosophy, University of Lódz, Poland. A hedonistic utilitarian, she focuses her research on the philosophy of Henry Sidgwick and Derek Parfit, as well as on the concepts of well-being and pleasure. Together with Peter Singer she has written The Point of View of the Universe (Oxford University Press, 2014) and Utilitarianism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2017). Apart from academic work, she is keen to convey philosophical ideas to a wider audience, giving lectures and writing for popular magazines on how to live a good life.

Peter Singer, an Australian philosopher, is currently Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics at Princeton University. He is best known for Animal Liberation, first published in 1975 and widely considered to be the founding statement of the animal rights movement; and for The Life You Can Save, which led him to found the charity of the same name. His other books include Practical Ethics, The Most Good You Can Do, and the two books co-authored with Katarzyna de Lazari- Radek. In 2005, Time magazine named him one of the World’s 100 Most Influential People.

Table of Contents

1. General remarks; 2. What utilitarianism is; 3. Of the ultimate sanction of the principle of utility; 4. Of that sort of proof the principle of utility is susceptible; 5. Of the connexion between justice and utility.

Editorial Reviews

<:st>A major contribution in the history of ethics, Mill's brief treatise on utilitarianism lays the theoretical foundation for this branch of philosophy and outlines its relationship to other ethical systems, the arguments in its favor, and its implications for concerns about justice. The appendix contains the text of Mill's 1868 speech on capital punishment. A introductory chapter describes Mill's place in the history of philosophy and his contribution to the study of ethics. Cited in There is no index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Because Utilitarianism is a work of enduring value, it is easy to forget that Mill meant for it to be a topical and relevant contribution to the moral debates of his time. In this edition of Mill’s essay, Colin Heydt situates the work in its historical context by supplementing the text of the essay with appendices containing excerpts of related works by Mill’s predecessors, Mill himself, and prominent critics of his views. The historical richness of this edition of Utilitarianism would surely have pleased Mill, and will surely benefit today’s readers.” — Ben Eggleston, University of Kansas

“Colin Heydt has made judicious choices about what additional readings to place alongside Utilitarianism itself. In addition, his clearly written introduction paints a very plausible and attractive portrait of Mill as a committed moral reformer, albeit one who recognized that the improvement of the received morality must proceed incrementally. This volume is well suited both for introducing Mill to students and as a resource for scholars who would like to have the most pertinent texts in easy reach.” — Dale E. Miller, Old Dominion University

From the Publisher

"Because Utilitarianism is a work of enduring value, it is easy to forget that Mill meant for it to be a topical and relevant contribution to the moral debates of his time. In this edition of Mill’s essay, Colin Heydt situates the work in its historical context by supplementing the text of the essay with appendices containing excerpts of related works by Mill’s predecessors, Mill himself, and prominent critics of his views. The historical richness of this edition of Utilitarianism would surely have pleased Mill, and will surely benefit today’s readers."

Ben Eggleston

Colin Heydt has made judicious choices about what additional readings to place alongside Utilitarianism itself. In addition, his clearly written introduction paints a very plausible and attractive portrait of Mill as a committed moral reformer, albeit one who recognized that the improvement of the received morality must proceed incrementally. This volume is well suited both for introducing Mill to students and as a resource for scholars who would like to have the most pertinent texts in easy reach."

Dale E. Miller Old Dominion University

"Because Utilitarianism is a work of enduring value, it is easy to forget that Mill meant for it to be a topical and relevant contribution to the moral debates of his time. In this edition of Mill’s essay, Colin Heydt situates the work in its historical context by supplementing the text of the essay with appendices containing excerpts of related works by Mill’s predecessors, Mill himself, and prominent critics of his views. The historical richness of this edition of Utilitarianism would surely have pleased Mill, and will surely benefit today’s readers."

Ben Eggleston University of Kansas