Pleasure, Happiness and Well-being

Bentham (1996), An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation

Mill (1998), Utilitarianism

Moore (1903), Principia Ethica

Crisp (1997), The Routledge Guidebook to Mill on Utilitarianism

Parfit (1986), Reasons and Persons

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The Greatest Happiness Principle: what is right is to promote happiness, and what is wrong produces pain.
Pleasure is the only thing desirable as an end in itself.

Some say that pleasure is not a noble pursuit. Epicureans: there are more types of pleasure than animalistic, primitive pleasures. The only reason 'animal pleasures' feel degrading is because they do not satisfy our idea of happiness.

p.57 "A being of higher faculties requires more to make him happy"
"the being whose capacities of enjoyment are low, has the greatest chance of having them fully satisfied"
"It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied"

many utilitarians place greater value on mental pleasures : permanence, safety, less costly

easy gratification vs working for pleasures

higher pleasures are a result of higher faculties

pg 58 some people choose lower pleasures occasionally, others start with higher pleasures and gradually tire and resort to lower pleasures

noble characters make other people happier, if not themselves, therefore we should encourage the nobleness of character/ those of higher faculties

dignity itself is a source of pleasure, and is in proportion to higher faculties

actions which conform to the greatest happiness principle ought to be done

nothing that is used to prove everything can also prove itself (the chain must start somewhere) thus, the principle of utility cannot be proved

it is natural to follow the principle of utility, and is often followed unconsciously. When presented as a principle, people often hesitate due to rejection of innate consistency

the value of pleasure and pain is determined by the hedonic calculus, comparing values of intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity (closeness of pleasure to current position), fecundity (chance of pleasure being followed by more pleasure), purity (chance of pleasure being followed not being followed by pain or vice versa)
within a group, extent should also be considered (how many are affected by the action)

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summative: weight the value of pleasure against the value of pain

exact process doesn't need applying every time, but to be kept in mind to keep the action in line with the principle

welfare is what makes life worth living: prudence is furthering your own welfare and beneficence is furthering other's welfare