Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism
Name;
Institutional Affiliation;
Date;
Introduction
It is compelling to consider the fact that there is no philosophical system that has permeated the Western thought patterns with the principles of utilitarianism. Dating from the times of the Greek thinkers such as Epicures and the likes of Jeremy Bentham, the practicality of utilitarianism has been defended and broadened. However, the most celebrated advocates of the utilitarian ideologies in the contemporary times are held by John Stuart Mill, the publisher who his dialog on utilitarianism in 1861. Ever since this was developed, the Western foundations have based their thoughts on these prospects.
The Christian circles have also adopted these elements of Mills philosophy into the Church’s ethics. Sources reveal that the democratic form of government is utilitarian in nature and seeks to do good for the high numbers of citizens (Leuven, & Višak, 2013). In this essay, I will review the criticisms of utilitarianism as described by Mill in the first part of the paper. The second part will focus on Mill’s response towards his theories and if his views undermine the criticisms. The idea is primarily to pass judgment on his principles and to see the good that can be adopted from Mills ideologies.
Criticisms of Utilitarianism as Discussed by Mill
One of Mills criticisms of utilitarianism is that of happiness. In this objection, happiness is viewed as an irrational endeavor of Humanities life because of its unattainability. According to this, people have the ability to exist even without the prospects of pleasure. This is seen particularly in occasions where all the virtuous people become righteous out of the self-will to renounce happiness. Mill asserts that the state through which people cannot be happy is a mere exaggeration. Mill argues that happiness-defined as moments of rapture that occur in an individual’s life in the event that he is troubled by pain is indeed important and would be significant to everybody (Leuven, & Višak, 2013). He also explains that the primary reason unhappiness is experienced due to selfishness and a lack of an individual’s mental cultivation. Thus, it is within the capability of a person to be happy in the event that their education nurtures the appropriate values in them.
Mill explains that most of the honorable people in history have achieved their state of honor by renouncing their happiness and admits that this is a fact since there are martyrs who sacrificed their happiness for a greater cause or the betterment of other people. These sacrifices are made so that others will not pass through similar sacrifices with the central theme of the sacrifices being for the sake of other people's happiness (Mäkinen, & Kakkuri-Knuuttila, 2013). The willingness to sacrifice one's happiness according to Mill remains the highest virtue.
He mentions that to maintain an attitude that willing fully sacrifices happiness for others is the actuality of gaining pleasure, since it leads a person to tranquility about his prospects and life. In as much as the utilitarian value sacrifices made out of others for the happiness of others, they, however, think this is no...