A Study On John Mill's Utilitarianism Ethics Thought

Utilitarianism,deontology and virtue theory are the three main schools of ethics.However,utilitarianism has ever been castigated by parts of social scholars.The thesis studies Mill's utilitarianism theory,tracing down its ideology origin,analyzing its theoretical connotation,exploring the theoretical essence and criticizing its limitations,which hopes to give a theoretical guidance to social practice.Mill proposed the greatest happiness principle,which adding the distinction of quality to the quantity of happiness posed by Bentham.The principle emphasizes on rights of man and liberty,as well as the consistence among justice,liberty and utility.In term of section theories,conscience theory was posed.This theory helps people form a common morality inward.Furthermore,Mill also realized the importance of cultivating characters,analyzing the logical harmony between altruism and egoism,and emphasizing the rationality of sacrificing their own interests to achieve self-worth and individual pride.There are still some defects in the theory.Some individual concepts are not clear,and there exists theoretical contradiction between the distinction of quality of happiness and monism on happiness.This thesis uses Marxism theory to study Mill's utilitarianism,absorbing the essence of advanced theory and eliminating its dregs.The thesis aims to seek for the benefits of people and carry forward the correct view of justice and interests in line with China's social development.Several study methods are used in the thesis,and they are as follows: comparative analysis is used to study the sublation on the thoughts of Mill towards Bentham and others;contradictory analysis is used to study contradictions,including contradictions between liberty theory and the class itself,as well as the view of utility in western theory and Marxism;historical analysis is used to expound the influence of social and historical environment to the trend of philosophy thought;at last,causal analysis is used to comprehensively analyze the causes and theoretical basis of Mill's utilitarianism.