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Utilitarianism

John Stuart Mill · 1861

Mill's 1861 essay restating and defending Bentham's utilitarian ethics, written by Mill.

Mill's own restatement and defence of utilitarian ethics, a cornerstone of his philosophical writing.

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Title page of the book Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill. Text reads: UTILITARIANISM, BY JOHN STUART MILL, Reprinted from Fraser's Magazine, LONDON: PARKER, SON, AND BOURN, WEST STRAND, 1863, The Author reserves the right of Translation.
John Stuart Mill, Utilitarianism, 1863 reprint. Title page scan.

About this source

What it is

This is the title page of Utilitarianism, a book by John Stuart Mill. It first appeared as three articles in Fraser's Magazine in 1861, then as a single volume in 1863, published in London by Parker, Son, and Bourn.

Why it matters

The essay builds on the ideas of Jeremy Bentham, arguing that actions are right if they promote happiness. Mill refined Bentham's theory by distinguishing between 'higher' intellectual pleasures and 'lower' bodily ones, trying to answer critics who said utilitarianism was a philosophy fit only for pleasure-seekers. It remains one of the most studied texts in moral philosophy, read as a defence of a liberal, humanistic view of ethics.

Look closer

  • Why did Mill think some pleasures were 'higher' than others? Do you agree?
  • What criticisms of utilitarianism does the essay try to answer, and how convincing do you find Mill's replies?
  • How might judging actions by their consequences for happiness lead to difficult or controversial decisions?

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