Utilitarianism is one attempt to give morality a purely secular foundation. Bentham and mill were both atheists bentham more raucously than mill and both intended utilitarianism as a moral principle governing individuals" actions, but also, as a principle that could be put in the service of social policy, law, and politics. The crux of utilitarianism is: we should judge actions right or wrong depending on whether they cause more happiness or unhappiness. As mill noted- paying tribute to aristotle"s old idea: The utilitarian doctrine is that happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable, as an end; all other things being desirable to that end. Each person"s happiness must be counted equally in utilitarian reasoning! The happiness which forms the utilitarian standard of what is right in conduct is not the agent"s own happiness, but that of all concerned.
