Ethics group: J.S. Mill on Utilitarianism (Pre Read)

The creed which accepts as the foundation of morals Utility, or the Greatest Happiness principle, holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness [...] Pleasure, and freedom from pain, are the only things desirable as ends.

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You may find the extract in Cottingham's Anthology (p. 548 of the PDF).

Please note that we will put emphasis in keeping the conversation civil and focused on the text: no politics or religion in the discussion.

This discussion is not meant for specialists.