Penguin Books Utilitarianism and Other Essays 功利主義與其他論文

“The most influential philosophical articulation of a liberal humanistic morality that was produced in the nineteenth century.” — J. B. Schneewind

 

Utilitarianism is one of the most significant schools of thought from the nineteenth century. It posits that the value or morality of an action is determined by how well it promotes the welfare of those affected by it, with the goal of achieving "the greatest happiness for the greatest number." Jeremy Bentham, the founder of this movement, was both a social reformer and a philosopher. His most notable interpreter, John Stuart Mill, sought to humanize Bentham's pragmatic Utilitarianism by balancing reason with imagination, individuality with social well-being, as expressed in his essays “Bentham,” “Coleridge,” and, most importantly, “Utilitarianism.”

 

The central idea of Utilitarian ethical theory is that all unnecessary pain and suffering is undesirable. Mill argued that happiness is the only thing humans inherently desire for its own sake. Since happiness is the sole intrinsic good, and more happiness is better than less, the ethical life aims to maximize happiness. This principle is referred to by Bentham and Mill as "the principle of utility" or "the greatest-happiness principle." Both philosophers endorse what is known as "classical" or "hedonistic" forms of Utilitarianism.

 

While Mill agreed with many foundational principles of ethics established by Bentham, he also had significant disagreements. Having been educated by a Benthamite father, Mill experienced an emotional collapse that led him to view Bentham's concept of human happiness as too narrow. He endeavored to reconcile his utilitarian heritage with his own strong commitment to freedom, spontaneity, and imagination.

 

Mill aimed to develop a more nuanced version of utilitarianism that aligns better with ordinary moral beliefs and emphasizes the importance of intellectual pleasures, self-development, high ideals of character, and established moral rules in ethical life. This creed, which bases morals on utility or the greatest happiness principle, asserts that actions are right if they tend to promote happiness and wrong if they tend to produce the opposite.

 

He examined how both external and internal sanctions—meaning the external incentives from others and the internal feelings of sympathy and conscience—encourage individuals to consider the impact of their actions on the happiness of others. Mill claims that the ultimate sanction is internal. As social beings, humans have a natural desire "to be in unity with our fellow creatures." Prioritizing selfish desires over the public good contradicts this fundamental impulse.

 

Mill's Utilitarianism is clear, eloquent, and profound, having had a significant influence on moral philosophy and serving as a foundational introduction to ethics. He remains “the most famous defense of the utilitarian view ever written.” Alan Ryan’s anthology, which places the central texts in their historical and biographical context, offers an excellent introduction to this immensely important philosophical movement.

 

Features

• Edition : -
• Binding : Paperback
• ISBN : 9780140432725
• Publication Date : 1987/8/4

 

Materials & Care

• Imported