John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism As The Best Form Of Government
In the timeless field of philosophy, a common topic explored is the differentiating views on government, society, and the state of nature. Numerous philosophers have shared their perspective on why certain forms of government are superior to others, and why other forms are ineffective. One well-known theory is utilitarianism, which is mostly known for the developments made by John Stuart Mill, who focused on achieving the greatest amount of happiness possible. Utilitarianism can be considered as the best form of government because it acts as a guideline for just conduct, allows a peaceful society to develop, and provides maximum amount of opportunities for happiness. While there are many philosophers who disagree with this view, the diverse
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This guidance can be found in Mill’s three main principles of utilitarianism, which states that actions can only be morally judged based on its consequences, the sole importance in assessing consequences is the balance of happiness, and everyone’s happiness should be valued as equally important1. The guideline is also supplemented through the two types of utilitarianism; act and rule utilitarianism. The original utilitarianism theory is act utilitarianism, which revolves around just actions and moral decisions. Even if that particular option seems undesirable, such as breaking a promise, it is still the best thing to do according to the theory1. Therefore, utilitarianism does provide multiple sources that are valuable to individuals who seek guidance in determining what the best course of action …show more content…
Usually told to see what kind of moral decisions people would make in a difficult situation, this scenario consists of an individual having to choose between two routes the train can go. Route one allows the 500 people on board to die, and route two means that the individual’s child dies. This example shows that although nobody would choose to kill their own child, it would be the right thing to do because they are saving more people, therefore bringing the greatest amount of happiness. It also demonstrates in choosing right actions, the one that doesn’t appear the most desirable may be the most
This guidance can be found in Mill’s three main principles of utilitarianism, which states that actions can only be morally judged based on its consequences, the sole importance in assessing consequences is the balance of happiness, and everyone’s happiness should be valued as equally important1. The guideline is also supplemented through the two types of utilitarianism; act and rule utilitarianism. The original utilitarianism theory is act utilitarianism, which revolves around just actions and moral decisions. Even if that particular option seems undesirable, such as breaking a promise, it is still the best thing to do according to the theory1. Therefore, utilitarianism does provide multiple sources that are valuable to individuals who seek guidance in determining what the best course of action …show more content…
Usually told to see what kind of moral decisions people would make in a difficult situation, this scenario consists of an individual having to choose between two routes the train can go. Route one allows the 500 people on board to die, and route two means that the individual’s child dies. This example shows that although nobody would choose to kill their own child, it would be the right thing to do because they are saving more people, therefore bringing the greatest amount of happiness. It also demonstrates in choosing right actions, the one that doesn’t appear the most desirable may be the most