Utilitarianism

by John Stuart Mill

Overview

In this work of moral philosophy, John Stuart Mill defends the view that all human action should produce the greatest happiness overall, and that happiness itself is to be understood as consisting in higher and lower pleasures.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783986770792
Publisher:	Phoemixx Classics Ebooks
Publication date:	11/19/2021
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	222
File size:	699 KB
Age Range:	13 Years

About the Author

John Stuart Mill, English philosopher, political economist, civil servant and Member of Parliament, was an influential liberal thinker of the 19th century. He was an exponent of utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by Jeremy Bentham, although his conception of it was very different from Bentham's.

Table of Contents

1. General remarks; 2. What utilitarianism is; 3. Of the ultimate sanction of the principle of utility; 4. Of that sort of proof the principle of utility is susceptible; 5. Of the connexion between justice and utility.

Editorial Reviews

<:st>A major contribution in the history of ethics, Mill's brief treatise on utilitarianism lays the theoretical foundation for this branch of philosophy and outlines its relationship to other ethical systems, the arguments in its favor, and its implications for concerns about justice. The appendix contains the text of Mill's 1868 speech on capital punishment. A introductory chapter describes Mill's place in the history of philosophy and his contribution to the study of ethics. Cited in There is no index. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

Because Utilitarianism is a work of enduring value, it is easy to forget that Mill meant for it to be a topical and relevant contribution to the moral debates of his time. In this edition of Mill’s essay, Colin Heydt situates the work in its historical context by supplementing the text of the essay with appendices containing excerpts of related works by Mill’s predecessors, Mill himself, and prominent critics of his views. The historical richness of this edition of Utilitarianism would surely have pleased Mill, and will surely benefit today’s readers.” — Ben Eggleston, University of Kansas

“Colin Heydt has made judicious choices about what additional readings to place alongside Utilitarianism itself. In addition, his clearly written introduction paints a very plausible and attractive portrait of Mill as a committed moral reformer, albeit one who recognized that the improvement of the received morality must proceed incrementally. This volume is well suited both for introducing Mill to students and as a resource for scholars who would like to have the most pertinent texts in easy reach.” — Dale E. Miller, Old Dominion University

From the Publisher

"Because Utilitarianism is a work of enduring value, it is easy to forget that Mill meant for it to be a topical and relevant contribution to the moral debates of his time. In this edition of Mill’s essay, Colin Heydt situates the work in its historical context by supplementing the text of the essay with appendices containing excerpts of related works by Mill’s predecessors, Mill himself, and prominent critics of his views. The historical richness of this edition of Utilitarianism would surely have pleased Mill, and will surely benefit today’s readers."

Ben Eggleston

Colin Heydt has made judicious choices about what additional readings to place alongside Utilitarianism itself. In addition, his clearly written introduction paints a very plausible and attractive portrait of Mill as a committed moral reformer, albeit one who recognized that the improvement of the received morality must proceed incrementally. This volume is well suited both for introducing Mill to students and as a resource for scholars who would like to have the most pertinent texts in easy reach."

Dale E. Miller Old Dominion University

"Because Utilitarianism is a work of enduring value, it is easy to forget that Mill meant for it to be a topical and relevant contribution to the moral debates of his time. In this edition of Mill’s essay, Colin Heydt situates the work in its historical context by supplementing the text of the essay with appendices containing excerpts of related works by Mill’s predecessors, Mill himself, and prominent critics of his views. The historical richness of this edition of Utilitarianism would surely have pleased Mill, and will surely benefit today’s readers."

Ben Eggleston University of Kansas