Do I agree with John Stuart Mill’s concept of happiness?
Yes, I agree with Mill’s refined Utilitarianism. Mill extended
Jeremy Benthem’s principle of utility by adding the idea of quality; he classified
pleasures as either higher or lower, refined or crude (Section 12-10a). Mill
said, in Utilitarianism, that he
believed it is important to “assign the pleasures of the intellect, of the
feelings and imagination, and of the moral sentiments, a much higher value as
pleasure than those of mere sensation (Section 12-5).” I agree with Mill in his
belief that it is necessary to differentiate between qualities of pleasures to
obtain the most happiness in life. I agree with this because higher pleasures have brought me more
happiness in life.
Several years ago I preferred the lower pleasures in life, such
as going out and drinking with friends. I also worked at a dead-end job as a
dental assistant that involved no intellectual growth. I was content with
making only enough to pay my bills and go out to have fun. Gradually I began to
realize, although I didn’t feel unhappy, I was feeling unfulfilled in life and
I began to make some changes. I got an administrative assistant job at an
accounting office where I learn something new every day. At the same time I
went back to school to continue my education. For the last couple years I have
realized the benefits of the higher pleasures, especially intellectual
pleasures. I no longer have time for going out and drinking. Instead, I work a
lot more and spend much of my free time doing school work. The lower pleasures I
used to fill my life with may be easily obtained, but I have found a better
quality of happiness from these intellectual activities. Therefore, I would
consider them superior to the lesser pleasures of having fun with friends and
drinking.
How do I truly know that the higher pleasures have brought
me more happiness than the lower pleasures? I know because I have decided from
thorough experience with both types of pleasures that higher pleasures of intellect
have provided me with more happiness than the lower pleasures. According to
Mill, “only those fully acquainted with two pleasures can decide which, if
either, is better (Section 12-5).” I think this is a very important rule for judgment
in general. If you have never been in a certain situation, how can you be a
proper judge of its superiority or inferiority over another situation? I am
fully acquainted with both of these pleasures and have decided from first-hand
experience with both, that the intellectual pleasure of school is indeed a
higher pleasure than the lower pleasure of going out and drinking with friends.
Reviving my thirst for knowledge, and quenching that thirst has been the most
uplifting pleasure of my adult life. No amount of drinking and fun with friends
has ever given me the feeling of fulfillment I get from my job and from school.
The higher pleasures may require more work, and are harder to secure than the
lesser pleasures, but I agree with Mill that they produce a higher quality of happiness
and therefore have a higher value (Section 12-5b).
533 Words
dibs
ReplyDeletePeer Comments by Sam Sam
ReplyDeleteTotal number of words in the post: 533
Spelling errors: Benthem’s should be Bentham’s
Grammatical errors: At the same time I went back to school to continue my education. –should be- At the same time, I went back to school to continue my education.
For the last couple years I have realized the benefits of the higher pleasures, especially intellectual pleasures. –should be- For the last couple years, I have realized the benefits of the higher pleasures, especially intellectual pleasures.
Lack of clarity:
I clearly understood the point the author is making, there is no lack of clarity.
Organization of ideas:
Yes, the author clearly organized their ideas.
Did the author answer their question? Yes, the author agrees with John Stuart Mill’s concept of happiness.
Did the author provide a concrete example that clearly illustrates their main point?
Yes, the author uses their own life experiences to exemplify the quality of pleasures Mill believes are important for happiness. The pleasures Mill considered to be higher pleasure are what gave the author more fulfillment and happiness compared to the lower pleasures.
How does the author’s concrete example illustrate or not illustrate their main point?
The author’s example illustrated the main point by using their knowledge and experience of both the lower and higher pleasures to prove true what Mill had stated. According to Mill, “only those fully acquainted with two pleasures can decide which, if either, is better (Section 12-5).”
Do you agree or disagree with the author’s answer and why?
I strongly agree with the author’s answer. I have a similar experience with working a dead-end job, going out drinking, and not realizing I was unhappy. I too am back in school working towards a degree and learning has made me happier and more fulfilled. I am no longer just going through the motions of life with no purpose. Intellectual pleasure has given me more satisfaction in my life and I do without the lower pleasures I once enjoyed.
What is a concrete example that clearly illustrates why you agree or disagree with the author?
The author uses the example of Mill expanding Bentham’s principle of utility to add quality to pleasures. Mill states the importance to “assign the pleasures of the intellect, of the feelings and imagination, and of the moral sentiments, a much higher value as pleasure than those of mere sensation.
What is your explanation of how your concrete example clearly illustrates your reason for why you agree or disagree with the author?
I think Mill is correct in assigning more value to higher pleasures like intellect, moral sentiments, and the feelings of imagination. I think to truly be happy, we must stay stimulated. We must always be learning, thinking, and keeping the mind active. Even though higher pleasures are harder to attain and may require more work, the carry more value to them.
Nice review sam sam!
DeleteI agree with the peer responder’s assessment of my answer to my question.
ReplyDeleteI thought the peer responder did a great job of assessing my answer to my question. They restated all of my main points. They provided reasons for why they agree, based on the main points I made. The peer responder also referenced both of John Stuart Mill’s quotes that I provided. They explained in detail why they agree with my example. They provided a similar example from their own life, which I agreed with as well. The peer responder explained how they have also experienced the same higher and lower pleasures as I have in life. That they have found a better quality of happiness from the higher pleasures and they agree that they have a higher value than the lower pleasures.