Utilitarianism is a philosophical current that was created in the 18th century by British philosophers Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and John Stuart Mill (1806-1873).
This model is characterized by being a philosophical, moral and ethical system where a useful action is called the most correct, and hence its name. In this bias, the pursuit of pleasure is an important feature.
Therefore, actions aim at an end where the consequences are focused on pleasure and happiness, as well as the usefulness of these acts.
Thus, it investigates the actions and results that provide well-being to sentient beings, that is, those who consciously have feelings.
Empirically, men are able to regulate and choose their actions. Thus, it becomes possible and through consciousness to achieve pleasure, at the expense of suffering and pain.
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Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)
English philosopher and who used the term “utilitarianism” for the first time in the work "An Introduction to Principles of Morals and Law" (1789).
For this philosopher, what counts is a quantitative view of pleasure, called quantitative hedonism. In this bias, the greater the duration and intensity of correct actions, the greater will be the positive consequences, or even the happiness generated.
It was only later, with John Stuart Mill, that the concept of utilitarianism was widely conceptualized.
John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)
In contrast to Bentham, Mill proposes that pleasure as the basis of utilitarian philosophy should not be marked by quantity but by the quality of these acts.
His theory was published in 1861 in the work "Utilitarianism". This work covers the ethical aspect related to the concept, also called qualitative hedonism. In this perspective, we must include the quality of pleasures in addition to their duration and intensity.
Mill divided pleasures into two categories. The first, considered superior, would be related to emotions, feelings and cognition. On the other hand, the so-called inferior pleasures would be associated with carnal pleasures.
Note: Besides them we can highlight the French economist Jean-Baptiste Say (1767-1832) and the French philosopher Étienne Bonnot de Condillac (1715-1780).
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