Political Science 2237E Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: John Stuart Mill, Tabula Rasa
27 Dec 2018
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We start as blank slate; we experience sensations and we associate them with things, leads to ideas. We are simple; want pleasure, avoid pain, avoiding pain = pleasure. We all have same right to pleasure and pain. Once you become an adult, your pleasure and pain remain the same. We are all motivated in the same way, making us predictable. Makes it possible for us to create a science of politics. Principle of utility can be applied to individuals and society. Maximize pleasure and minimize pain - goal for everyone. How we make our judgements and act. Simple pleasures: wealth, friendship, power, sense, skill, a good name, memory, imagination, expectation, relief, Simple pains: privation, senses, awkwardness, enmity, ill name, piety, benevolence, We use pain/pleasure unconsciously to make decisions. We always want to do what in our interests to increase pleasure. Weighing pros and cons is subjective and complex - everyone will have different answers.
