Along with Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill developed the nineteenth century English philosophy known as Utilitarianism, which was the contention that man should judge everything in life based upon its ability to promote the greatest individual happiness (Titus and Smith 122). While Bentham is acknowledged as the philosophy's founder, it was Johm Stuart Mill who further qualified it through logic (Titus and Smith 124). He maintained that because human beings are imbued with a thought capacity, they are not merely satisfied with pleasures of the flesh. They aspire to achieve pleasure of the mind as well. Once man has ascended to this highest intellectual level, he desires to stay there, never descending to the lowly level of existence from which he began (Titus and Smith 124).
People like Thomas Carlyle have declared that man can live just as well without happiness. John Stuart Mill acknowledges that while this may be true in theory, that men do not conduct their lives in total pursuit of happiness, they still need a gauge with which to measure morality. Happiness may not necessarily mean continuous rapture, for such intense experiences are momentary at best. Nevertheless, happiness to some may merely translate to being the avoidance of pain. After all, feeling nothing is certainly comparable to feelings of pain, isn't it? In Utilitarianism, Mill noted, "Utility includes not solely the pursuit of happiness, but the prevention or mitigation of unhappiness" (Mill 11).
Mill is ultimately successful in that he points out that contrary to popular belief, utilitarianism is not a completely selfish motivation which does not take into consideration the desires of others. Virtue, while not completely synonymous with happiness, is a component thereof, and is an attribute desirable to society as a whole. One who causes pain in others cannot be described as virtuous. In the final analysis, John Stuart Mill successfully proved his point by noting that happiness is not an all-inclusive term.
According to Kant, morality is a priori. ... Central to Kant's theory of morality is deontology that is duty-based ethics. Kant said, "An action done from duty must be wholly exclude the influence of inclination". ... Kant said "to deviate from the principle of duty is beyond all doubt wicked". ... Kant formulates what he calls the Categorical Imperative. ...
According to Kant, morality is a priori. ... Central to Kant's theory of morality is deontology that is duty-based ethics. Kant said, "An action done from duty must be wholly exclude the influence of inclination". ... Kant said "to deviate from the principle of duty is beyond all doubt wicked". ... Kant formulates what he calls the Categorical Imperative. ...
In this paper, I will examine what the transcendental schema is, and how Kant explains it. ... Kant opens up the Schematism by restating that there needs to be a medium through which the a priori concepts can relate to intuitions. ... In proving this, Kant must naturally show how the categories can relate to intuition. ... However, Kant goes on to state the exact time determinations, made possible by the imagination, of the categories. ... Kant's whole notion of the categories would be useless if he cannot find a way to supply the categories with intuitions. ...
That is why I have chosen to do my final paper on Immanuel Kant. ... In one box were a few books about Immanuel Kant. ... Immanuel Kant was born in 1724 in Konigsberg, East Prussia. ... This is where Kant determined effectiveness to be prudential. ... Thus, Kant derived what is known as the categorical imperative. ...
Critically discuss Kant's understanding of freedom. ... The main purpose of this essay is to critically discuss Kant's understanding of freedom. ... I will begin by briefly, explain Kant's main arguments in "Critique of Pure Reason" that link to his idea on freedom and then critically discuss what shows Kant's to be wrong, regarding freedom. ... Note from the extract above, Kant compare freedom as nature. ... Kant says, "we could not prove freedom to be something actual in ourselves and in human nature. ...
Part A Kant's description of Enlightenment as "man's emergence from his self-incurred immaturity" is a somewhat pertinent definition, solidifying the quintessential ideas of Enlightenment to a certain degree in a brief sentence. ... Kant also outlines the fact that man's self-incurred immaturity is partially as a result of his reluctance to independence. "I need not make any effort at all" In this part of this article, Kant explains how a great degree of our lives involves being dependent upon others to provide, and function for us. ... In the article, Kant also articu...
This subjective deduction is just one the strategies Kant uses to make his point. ... Here Kant demonstrates the a priori nature of space and time. ... Kant states that this is a condition that s fundamental to what follows. ... Kant uses an example of counting. ... Kant also speaks of pure concepts of understanding as the a priori grounds....
The Categorical Imperative has been the subject of debate since Kant first wrote his moral works. ... Duncan's answer to his first question is that "Kant himself appears to speak as if there were only three:- Two passages of the groundwork suggest that Kant himself intended there to be three subsidiary principles and the supreme moral principle. ... Kant insists in several places in his doctrine that the imperative must be categorical and not hypothetical. ... But isn't Kant really using the Formula Ia, not Formula I, in these examples? ... So, it seems clear that Kant is using t...
(notes) Kant view is that animals instruments for us to use. ... Kant's criterion for moral status is based on rationality. ... I agree with Kant about our moral duties to animals. ... Singer objects to Kant and would surely object to my views. ... I fully side with Kant on this issue. ...
Why does Kant reject the notion that man's end is happiness, or even survival? ... How does Kant's treatment of generosity differ from Hume's? Under what conditions does a generous act have "moral content" for Kant? ... Kant defines duty as "necessity of an action out of respect for law." ... In what circumstances, for Kant, might one lie? ...