PHIL110B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: John Stuart Mill, Situation Two, Anglican Doctrine
24 Aug 2016
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Do unto others as you would have them do unto you . What general principle should govern our judgments of right and wrong. If we can arrive at sound general principles, we can use them to guide us in specific moral contexts and situations. Breaking the rules to do the right thing. Mill wrote about math, logic, economics, political science and ethics. The greatest happiness principle moral actions are goal oriented. Normative theories: utilitarianism underlying theory of value: pleasure and freedom from pain are the only desirable ends. Hedonism: being dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure. Worried that his theory will be viewed as doctrine worthy of only swine. We should act in a way that promotes the happiness of everyone involved in the action we take. The aim is to create the greatest happiness to all who would be impacted by an action. Motives don"t matter in the evaluation of moral actions.
