Utilitarianism - Mill

Question 1

Rule Utilitarianism

Answer 1

moral rules should be followed except where they conflict, at which point, people should use the ‘primary principle’ of Utility - which is to do that which gives best results in the situation

Question 2

Different from Bentham

Answer 2

• rejected Bentham’s view that all pleasures are equal and measurable
• insisted that there were ‘higher’ intellectual pleasures and ‘lower’ physical ones

Question 3

John Stuart Mill

Answer 3

• ethical naturalist
• described happiness (& therefore good) in terms of quality of life rather than quantity of pleasure
• human attributes have different relative importance (higher and lower pleasures)
• need to take into account the positive benefits offered by general rules/principles
• he argued that many moral rules had developed naturally because of the beneficial effects on society e.g. not stealing, lying, murdering