Utilitarianism
Mill defends the principle that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, understood as pleasure and the absence of pain, for everyone affected. He replies to common objections, distinguishes higher from lower pleasures, discusses the sanctions of morality and connects justice to the protection of vital interests.
Understanding the text
First published in Fraser’s Magazine in 1861 and as a book in 1863, the essay addresses a general readership rather than specialists. Its brief “proof” of the principle in the fourth chapter, which moves from what people actually desire to what is desirable, has been disputed since its first readers.
Key points
- 01
Greatest happiness
The standard is the happiness of all concerned rather than the agent’s own, and each person’s happiness counts impartially.
- 02
Quality of pleasures
Competent judges who know both kinds prefer pleasures of the intellect, feeling and moral sense, even at the cost of some dissatisfaction.
- 03
Justice
Rights are claims that society should defend because they protect security and other vital interests, which explains the special stringency of justice.
Explore the ideas in depth
Weighing happiness
Reconstruct the greatest happiness principle and the distinction between higher and lower pleasures in Utilitarianism.
Situating the text
First published in Fraser’s Magazine in 1861 and as a book in 1863, the essay addresses a general readership rather than specialists. Its brief “proof” of the principle in the fourth chapter, which moves from what people actually desire to what is desirable, has been disputed since its first readers. Mill defends the principle that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, understood as pleasure and the absence of pain, for everyone affected. He replies to common objections, distinguishes higher from lower pleasures, discusses the sanctions of morality and connects justice to the protection of vital interests.
Following the arguments
Greatest happiness : The standard is the happiness of all concerned rather than the agent’s own, and each person’s happiness counts impartially. Quality of pleasures : Competent judges who know both kinds prefer pleasures of the intellect, feeling and moral sense, even at the cost of some dissatisfaction. Justice : Rights are claims that society should defend because they protect security and other vital interests, which explains the special stringency of justice.
Continuing the reading
Read the second chapter with its objections and replies, then ask whether the chapter on justice strengthens or qualifies the earlier argument. First published in Fraser’s Magazine in 1861 and as a book in 1863, the essay addresses a general readership rather than specialists. Its brief “proof” of the principle in the fourth chapter, which moves from what people actually desire to what is desirable, has been disputed since its first readers.
Questions to carry into your reading
- Who counts as a competent judge between two pleasures, and why does Mill trust that judgment?
- Does the chapter on justice fit the principle of utility, or does it limit it?
Mill’s utilitarianism is impartial and attentive to quality, which raises the question of who judges between pleasures.
How to read it
Read the second chapter with its objections and replies, then ask whether the chapter on justice strengthens or qualifies the earlier argument.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗