Given that John Stuart Mill was a student of Aristotle’s work‚ it comes as no surprise that there are many commonalities between Aristotle’s and Mill’s ideas. One of the biggest ideas shared by the two is that all humans are striving towards the Good in their lives. However‚ while they both believe happiness is the ultimate Good in our lives‚ they differ in their conclusions of what happiness is and how to reach it. As previously mentioned‚ Mill studied Aristotle’s works in his early life which directly
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Both utilitarianism and virtue ethics have their individual strengths and weaknesses regarding moral situations. In this essay‚ I will proceed to first summarize the core concepts of both utilitarianism and virtue ethics. Then‚ I will introduce a scenario that will be used to compare the two ethical frameworks side by side based on what decision they would entail. Finally‚ I will argue that virtue ethics is morally better than utilitarianism‚ even if the outcomes of utilitarianism seem to be more
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JOHN STUART MILL ON UTILITARIANISM One of Mill’s strongest arguments in support of his philosophy of morality is seen in the last two paragraphs on page 95 of the textbook Ethical Theory. Here we find one of Mill’s foundational arguments which he later builds upon to argue in favor of utilitarianism. Mill’s conclusion that we find here in this particular selection is based on the assertion he makes‚ found in the latter part of the last complete sentence on page 95: “that happiness is a good
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Michel Foucault’s analysis of the history of discipline and punishment focuses deeply on a genealogical perspective with regards to how time has progressed disciplinary methods of action. Certain means of discipline are contoured to fit the modern civilian in order to take full effect. Types of punishment used today are significantly different in comparison to that of the sixteenth and seventeenth century. In order to study the ramifications of discipline and punishment‚ Foucault advises that one
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This then‚ in great summary‚ is utilitarianism as presented by Mill (sometimes called classical utilitarianism). It is the ethical philosophy that bases right and wrong on the production of happiness. It is also an ethical philosophy that stresses the greatest happiness of the greatest number as seen from an impartial bystander’s perspective. Before we discuss how Mozi’s philosophy can be applied to utilitarian morality‚ a distinction within utilitarianism must be made. Act Utilitarianism vs
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house resembles the way the whole society functions nowadays. He argues that this generalized system’s “aim is to strengthen the social forces - to increase production‚ to develop economy‚ spread education‚ raise the level of public morality; to increase and multiply” (Foucault 208). It does so through the mechanisms of discipline that Foucault outlined. As a result‚ The Panopticon is an Ideology of educating and censoring to implant discipline and obedience. It is an ideology of education because
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Utilitarianism Utilitarianism is a collection of thoughts that advocates for the principles of the bigger happiness of the larger number of people. Mill (p.54) comprehensively explained that for people to attain ultimate happiness there must be the greater influence of pleasure and the absence of pain. This is associated with people’s knowledge of negative and positive actions created by the punishments and praises one is entitled to get. Mill (p.65) clearly stipulates that the theories
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Abortion is the process by which an embryo or fetus is removed from the uterus‚ resulting in the termination of a pregnancy. Natural or non induced abortions are commonly known as miscarriages. Abortion has had a long and passionate history. It has been induced through various methods ranging from‚ herbal medicines‚ and the use of sharpened tools‚ physical trauma‚ and other traditional methods. The different legal and cultural views on abortion differ around the world‚ and in many regions of the
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John Stuart Mill suggests that a person’s ethical decision-making process should be based solely upon the amount of happiness that the person can receive. Although Mill fully justifies himself‚ his approach lacks certain criteria for which happiness can be considered. Happiness should be judged‚ not only by pleasure‚ but by pain as well. This paper will examine Mill’s position on happiness‚ and the reasoning behind it. Showing where there are agreements and where there are disagreements will critique
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The Idea of Mill ’s ethical theory is his Greatest Happiness Principle in that “actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness and they are wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. Happiness is the intended pleasure and the absence of pain. Unhappiness is the pain and the lack of pleasure. Pleasure and freedom from pain are the only desirable things.” Mill ’s view of happiness is hedonistic‚ which suggests that the only good thing in a person is pleasure and the
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