Utilitarianism

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science
Cover of the book Utilitarianism by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven, Macat Library
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven ISBN: 9781351353564
Publisher: Macat Library Publication: July 5, 2017
Imprint: Macat Library Language: English
Author: Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
ISBN: 9781351353564
Publisher: Macat Library
Publication: July 5, 2017
Imprint: Macat Library
Language: English

John Stuart Mill’s 1861 Utilitarianism remains one of the most widely known and influential works of moral philosophy ever written. It is also a model of critical thinking – one in which Mill’s reasoning and interpretation skills are used to create a well-structured, watertight, persuasive argument for his position on core questions in ethics.
The central question, for Mill, was to decide upon a valid definition of right and wrong, and reason out his moral theory from there. Laying down valid, defensible definitions is a crucial aspect of good interpretative thinking, and Mill gets his in as early as possible. Actions are good, he suggests, if they increase happiness, and bad if they reduce happiness.

But, vitally, it is not our own happiness that matters, but the total happiness of all those affected by a given action. From this interpretation of moral good, Mill is able to systematically reason out a coherent framework for calculating and judging overall happiness, while considering different kinds and qualities of happiness.
Like any good example of reasoning, Mill’s argument consistently takes account of possible objections, building them into the structure of the book in order to acknowledge and counter them as he goes.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

John Stuart Mill’s 1861 Utilitarianism remains one of the most widely known and influential works of moral philosophy ever written. It is also a model of critical thinking – one in which Mill’s reasoning and interpretation skills are used to create a well-structured, watertight, persuasive argument for his position on core questions in ethics.
The central question, for Mill, was to decide upon a valid definition of right and wrong, and reason out his moral theory from there. Laying down valid, defensible definitions is a crucial aspect of good interpretative thinking, and Mill gets his in as early as possible. Actions are good, he suggests, if they increase happiness, and bad if they reduce happiness.

But, vitally, it is not our own happiness that matters, but the total happiness of all those affected by a given action. From this interpretation of moral good, Mill is able to systematically reason out a coherent framework for calculating and judging overall happiness, while considering different kinds and qualities of happiness.
Like any good example of reasoning, Mill’s argument consistently takes account of possible objections, building them into the structure of the book in order to acknowledge and counter them as he goes.

More books from Macat Library

Cover of the book Common Sense by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book Structural Anthropology by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book A History of the Arab Peoples by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book Reconstruction by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book Characteristics of Negro Expression by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book Competitive Strategy by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book Walter Benjamin's The Work Of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book On the Genealogy of Morality by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book The Role of Monetary Policy by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book The King's Two Bodies by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book Citizen and Subject by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book An Essay on the Principle of Population by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
Cover of the book Stephen Greenblatt's Renaissance Self-Fashioning by Tom Patrick, Sander Werkhoven
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy