The failure of Mill's qualitative distinction of pleasures

Essay from the year 2008 in the subject Philosophy - Philosophy of the 19th Century, grade: Not yet graded, LUISS Guido Carli (LUISS Guido Carli), course: Applied Ethics, language: English, abstract: In reply to the standing objection that utilitarianism is a pig philosophy, John Stuart Mill (1806 - 1873) holds that Benthamite utilitarians "have fully proved their case" (II, 4) by pursuing quantitative hedonism which emphasizes the difference of quantity in pleasures . However, he still aims at taking a "higher ground, with entire consistency" (II, 4) to defend utilitarianism by introducing his later-called qualitative hedonism that is based on the difference of quality in pleasures in Chapter II of Utilitarianism. In the essay, I argue that Mill's qualitative distinction of pleasures is problematic and inconsistent with hedonism, to which he explicitly commits himself. As a result, instead of providing support for utilitarianism, it causes more problems.

Product details

• Authors: Thi Thu Huong Dang
• Publisher: Grin Verlag
• Languages: English, German
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 27.03.2009
• EAN: 9783640235926
• ISBN: 978-3-640-23592-6
• No. of pages: 16
• Dimensions: 148 mm x 210 mm x 2 mm
• Weight: 40 g
• Series: Akademische Schriftenreihe; Akademische Schriftenreihe, Bd. V119648; Akademische Schriftenreihe; Akademische Schriftenreihe Bd. V119648
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Philosophy > German idealism, 19th century; Non-fiction book > Philosophy, religion > Philosophy: antiquity to present day