PHLA11H3 Lecture Notes - Ninetynine
Document Summary
Continuing the objections to utilitarianism with mill"s replies. It is exacting too much to require that people shall always act from the inducement of promoting the general interests of society. (p. 175: this is way too hard for humans to do. Maybe a god could but you can"t expect humans to care about everyone. But this is to confound the rule of action with the motive of it. We just need to in fact maximize overall happiness. But utilitarianism says that you have acted wrongly unless you maximize overall happiness: this seems far too demanding. The occasions on which any person (except one in a thousand) has it in his power to. Those alone the influence of whose actions extend to society in general, need concern themselves habitually about so large an action. (p. 175: you can maximize happiness by focusing on yourself and those around you.
