Recall a moment when you acted as a utilitarian. Calculate the net benefit that you brought with your action by applying J. S. Mill’s Principle of Utility and J.Bentham’s Felicific Calculus.

Mill’s ethical theory Hedonic Utilitarianism, which is a form of consequentialism: The permissibility of actions is determined by examining their outcomes and comparing those outcomes with what would have happened if some other action had been performed. Mill responds to Kant’s criticism of consequentialist moral theories by saying that Kant confuses act evaluation and agent evaluation. (Kant argued that consequences should not be used in evaluating actions because we have inadequate control over consequences, and our moral obligations extend only so far as our abilities. Instead, Kant examines our motives to determine the permissibility of our actions.) Mill says that the examination of motives is appropriate for agent evaluation, but not act evaluation. Mill also points out that a morally good person could – with the best of motives – perform an impermissible action. Principle of Utility: An action is permissible if and only if the consequences of that action are at least as good as those of any other action available to the agent. Recall a moment when you acted as a utilitarian. Calculate the net benefit that you brought with your action by applying J. S. Mill’s Principle of Utility and J.Bentham’s Felicific Calculus. You will find these under Course Materials.