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Utilitarianism and the summum bonum
| Content Provider | Scilit |
|---|---|
| Author | Leslie, T. E. C. |
| Copyright Year | 2016 |
| Description | The tendency to produce happiness seems to be an easy test; but it assumes an unreal concord about the constituents of happiness and an unreal homogeneity of human minds in point of sensibility to different pains and pleasures. To prove that happiness is the summum bonum at which virtue aims, Mr. Mill concedes the necessity of showing that the greatest human happiness results from the employment of the highest faculties of humanity. Yet the Utilitarian would admit that the magnanimous intention alters the character of the act, because it is of supreme importance to human happiness that a spirit should exist among the strong to spare the weak, and that even enemies should show mercy and courtesy to each other. The unselfish and spiritually minded man may find the philosopher greatest happiness in pursuits from which less generous and lofty minds could derive nothing but weariness.The tendency to produce happiness seems to be an easy test; but it assumes an unreal concord about the constituents of happiness and an unreal homogeneity of human minds in point of sensibility to different pains and pleasures. To prove that happiness is the summum bonum at which virtue aims, Mr. Mill concedes the necessity of showing that the greatest human happiness results from the employment of the highest faculties of humanity. Yet the Utilitarian would admit that the magnanimous intention alters the character of the act, because it is of supreme importance to human happiness that a spirit should exist among the strong to spare the weak, and that even enemies should show mercy and courtesy to each other. The unselfish and spiritually minded man may find the philosopher greatest happiness in pursuits from which less generous and lofty minds could derive nothing but weariness. Book Name: Reform and Intellectual Debate in Victorian England |
| Related Links | https://content.taylorfrancis.com/books/download?dac=C2015-0-76211-5&isbn=9781315637648&format=googlePreviewPdf |
| Ending Page | 117 |
| Page Count | 4 |
| Starting Page | 114 |
| DOI | 10.4324/9781315637648-29 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited |
| Publisher Date | 2016-07-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Book Name: Reform and Intellectual Debate in Victorian England History and Philosophy of Science Utilitarian Unreal Summum Bonum Human Happiness Greatest |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Chapter |
