Utilitarianism

by John Stuart Mill

Overview

John Stuart Mill's book Utilitarianism is a classic exposition and defence of utilitarianism in ethics. The essay first appeared as a series of three articles published in Fraser's Magazine in 1861; the articles were collected and reprinted as a single book in 1863. Mill's aim in the book is to explain what utilitarianism is, to show why it is the best theory of ethics, and to defend it against a wide range of criticisms and misunderstandings. Though heavily criticized both in Mill's lifetime and in the years since, Utilitarianism did a great deal to popularize utilitarian ethics and was "the most influential philosophical articulation of a liberal humanistic morality that was produced in the nineteenth century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781542786898
Publisher:	CreateSpace Publishing
Publication date:	01/27/2017
Pages:	90
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.19(d)

About the Author

John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 - 8 May 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, feminist, and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of liberalism, he contributed widely to social theory, political theory and political economy. He has been called "the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century." Mill's conception of liberty justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state control.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Who Was John Stuart Mill?
What Was Mill’s Overall Philosophical Project?
What is the Structure of Utilitarianism?
Some Useful Background Information
Some Common Misconceptions
How Important and Influential Is Utilitarianism?
Suggestions for Critical Reflection
Suggestions for Further Reading

Utilitarianism

Chapter I: General Remarks
Chapter II: What Utilitarianism Is
Chapter III: Of the Ultimate Sanction of the Principle of Utility
Chapter IV: Of What Sort of Proof the Principle of Utility is Susceptible
Chapter V: On the Connexion between Justice and Utility