John Stuart Mill: Utilitarianism

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John Stuart Mill thinks that the greatest good is happiness; happiness is pleasure. Everyone seeks to be happy, and everyone continues to go after more to gain that happiness. People attempt to make each other happy, as well as just themselves. People do things everyday just to make themselves, or others happy. No one wants to live life truly unhappy. There are many right actions that can take place when trying to get that happiness. Just trying to make someone happy can be pleasing to another person. People do what they do just to seek happiness. There can also be wrong actions when trying to achieve happiness. Some people get happy by stealing, but that wouldn’t bring happiness to the person who got their things stolen. There are consequences to every action. Not everyone’s happiness is the same. A lot of people like to go tanning. People like to look bronze and not pasty. Those who tan don’t see anything wrong with it. It makes them happy; it makes them feel better about themselves. Ultimately people tan to look better. The consequence of being tan is the sacrifice that people make on their health. Those who are opposed to tanning say that it is bad for people because it causes cancer. People also think that it’s a waste of money. Not everyone gets the same level of happiness over tanning. You cannot please everyone! By having tanning salons and other places to tan at people who like to tan get pleased. By not having anywhere to tan there would be a greater amount of people that are unhappy. The goal of having tanning beds is so a good amount of people can be pleased. With The Great Happiness Principle Mill is saying that there should be a great amount of happiness to serve an even greater amount of people. Sometimes causing happiness can backfire. People could have really good intensions and attempt to make someone happy, and then actually make them

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