Blog Prompt 4

What reasons does Mill give in support of the Greatest Happiness Principle?  Is utilitarianism a “pig philosophy?”  How does Mill explain the fact that some people choose lower pleasures over higher pleasures? Do you agree with his assessment?

Losing interest to a high desire is easy when you never been given a chance to do it your self and instead do whats important to you in the present time. If a person is doing heavy labor and working everyday there most likely going to be taking the lowest pleasure. Sometimes they don’t even have a choice as it might be the only source of income for them. An example can be a parent working like I stated above. They wouldn’t be able to reach out and do something they always wanted to do but never have done as a job. It would just take up way to much time to learn.

Mill sates the Greatest Happiness Principle is “on which this theory of morality is grounded-namely that pleasure, and freedom from pain, are the only things desirable as ends; and that all desirable things (which are numerous in the utilitarian as in any other scheme) are desirable either for the pleasure inherent in themselves, or as means to the promotion of pleasure and the privation of pain.” Mill is saying one should always choose the option that gives the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people. If the quality is good enough, it should always be picked most the time. But if the quantity is bigger somewhere else should that be picked instead? Mill says that some people chose lower pleasures over high pleasures, these would be something like alcohol, partying, sex…etc. Some high pleasures would be like studying, reading a book…etc. But of course I believe most people would pick lower pleasures as would I. I agree with Mill to an extent, depending on what the situation is. Im not going to choose something that doesn’t interest me just because it might be more important. I feel like that will be taking away many things that I’m doing in life today. If you have more happiness in the choice you pick than the other then thats the better answer for you. Following this method is the best choice one can have.

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