ERD EMLE İLGİSİNDE MİLL’İN FAYDACI AHLAK ANLAYIŞININ ELEŞTİRİSİ
THE CRITIQUE OF MILL’S UTILITARIANISM CONCERNING VIRTUE

Summary/Abstract: Utilitarianism is based on the idea that human beings are inclined to increase pleasure and avoid pain. Although Mill agrees with this idea, he distinguishes higher fromlower pleasures considering their quality. Higher pleasures result from theemployme nt of higher faculties but lower pleasures result from satisfying bodilydesires. Mill argues that those who know both, prefer higher pleasures. According toMill, virtue brings out higher pleasures. It means that exercising virtue gives onehigher pleasur e which is more valuable. This is why virtue is considered valuable.This view is subjected to strong criticisms. In this study, it will be argued thatalthough Mill’s account can be defended against some of them, it leads to acontradiction. It will also be argued that this contradiction is caused by Mill’s desire togive an empirical explanation for virtue and his account has a problem with providingan epistemological foundation for it.

• Details
• Contents