Utilitarianism - Mill's changes to Act Utilitarianism

Question 1

What did Mill change about the measurement of pleasure

Answer 1

Pleasure was qualitative instead of quantitative.

Question 2

What did Mill think about just using the quantity of pleasure?

Answer 2

Creating just a quantity of pleasure is vulgar, as he stated it is better to be a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied

Question 3

which pleasures did mill warn against

Answer 3

pleasures that are vulgar/distasteful - e.g. drunkenness, sex

Question 4

What two categories did Mill put pleasures into

Answer 4

• higher pleasures = pleasures of the mind e.g. learning, aesthetic appreciation
• lower pleasures = pleasures of the body e.g. violence, sex

Question 5

who was mill interpreted by for his higher pleasures idea

Answer 5

Aristotle - that eudaemonia is the type of happiness we seek

Question 6

which pleasure is superior according to mill

Answer 6

higher pleasures - although Mill concedes that people often prefer to indulge in lower pleasures but only because they had not experienced the higher pleasures.

Question 7

why do we also need lower pleasures

Answer 7

we must satisfy lower pleasures to exist.

Question 8

therefore, what should we do when we are making a moral decision

Answer 8

we should weigh up the value of the act based on whether there is a higher quality pleasure at stake or a lower one.

Question 9

why would someone not always choose the higher pleasure over the lower one

Answer 9

if one hasn’t been educated and experienced the full range of pleasures properly.

Question 10

where should people be exposed to higher pleasures

Answer 10

in education - as it helps them to make better moral choices.