Kant or Mill?

This week, we discussed two different moral theories. These were proposed my John Stewart Mill and Kant. I personally agree the most with Mill's Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is a type of hedonism and focuses on happiness. Happiness is defined as pleasure and the absence of pain. Mill states that Utilitarianism is about choosing a moral decision that will produce the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people. This is known as “The greatest happiness principle.” It also states that everything we believe is morally good is done for happiness. I agreed with this the most because we spent so much time debunking common misconceptions about Utilitarianism. This allowed me to have a more sound understanding and confidence in this theory. I appreciated that we had time to go so in-depth with this concept. I also enjoyed the fact that Mill covered the problems in virtually all moral theories. For example, he said that almost all moral theories could be manipulated if someone desires to do so. I also liked that he does not focus on any single god in his theory. This makes it more accessible to different people of different religions. I also appreciated Mill’s attitude towards his critics. His sarcastic replies made learning about his counterarguments enjoyable. I also liked how he believes the morality of one’s actions should be judged by the actions themselves, and not by the person. I personally feel like a majority of people live by Utilitarianism, even if they don’t know it. Most people do what they do to achieve happiness, whether for themselves or for others.

In conclusion, I enjoyed learning about Utilitarianism very much. It was interesting to think in depth about why we act the way we do.