UTILITARIANISM In this paper I will be discussing utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is the theory proposing the principle of utility as the correct ethical standard. I will also be talking about the THEORY of RIGHT CONDUCT, which is also a part of moral the

        Bentham’s utility principle is saying that the sadistic voyeur should open the curtain. If he opens the curtain he is gaining pleasure but the person on the other side is gaining pain, both mentally and physically. Just because the sadistic voyeur thinks its right, it is not morally right. Bentham’s principle states as long as you gaining pleasure then there should not be any pain involved. He is saying that it may be right to open the curtain today but wrong tomorrow.

        The reason that this is problematic for Bentham’s principle is because Bentham is giving the person more reasons why it is right to do the act than giving him reasons why it is wrong. Bentham is saying that if you desire something that is desirable you should obtain that desire.  This is not true in the sadistic voyeur’s case, true the men are all gaining pleasure but the woman is not gaining pleasure at all. She is gaining more pain from the sadistic voyeur because he chose to open the curtain and watch her being brutally raped. Bentham’s principle is problematic because it’s immorally wrong to commit such an act.

        The action that the sadistic voyeur is thinking about committing is a forbidden action. Meaning that from the point of view of morality it is mandatory no to do.

        Mills Utility Principle is also known as the Greatest Happiness Principle. His principle states that actions are right in proportion, as they tend to promote happiness, wrong, as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure and the absence of pain. Mills’ principle is different from Bentham’s because Mills is talking about happiness and the principle of virtue.  He is saying that if you desire something then it is actually desirable. If the mind is not in a virtuous state then it is not in a right frame of mind.  

        Mills would tell the sadistic voyeur not to open the curtain.  Mills says, “that it is better to be a human dissatisfied than a pig that is satisfied”. (pg.117) Meaning that you don’t need to fulfill ever desire that you have, especially if it is a bad desire. Mills thinks that if this sort of happiness will give pain then it is not worth it. Mills wants to know how long is the sadistic voyeur’s pleasure going to last, and what is the quantity of pleasure he will gain.

        The sadistic Voyeur’s pleasure will not last long at all. When the men get finished raping the woman his desire might be fulfilled for that day, but the next day he will be desiring to see another woman getting raped. Some kinds of pleasures are more desirable and more valuable than   others. The sadistic voyeur’s desire to open the curtain is not a valuable desire.

        Utilitarianism is the basic theory proposing the principle of utility as the correct ethical standard.  What I know about utilitarianism is that it is basic principle for desire of happiness. But in Betham’s case you could be committing an immoral act and Bentham’s principle of utility states that it is still right. He gives the desirable person to many options as on how to handle the situation.

        Mills on the other hand, says that it is not worth all of the satisfaction if it is not morally right. If the action that is being desired is not virtuous then it is not coming from a right frame of mind.

        I think that Mills’ theory is better than Betham’s because Mills gives good reason why the act shouldn’t be committed if it is not the right thing to do. Like the sadistic voyeur situation, Mills would it would not worth the satisfaction, but Bentham thinks that if it is desirable then you should fulfill that desire. All of that is wrong.

        Mills does have additional problems, for example, Mills says that if something is desirable, it is in some way worthy of being desired. Now that statement is very problematic. Not everything is worthy of being desired. It’s like me saying that I desire money; true money is a very important factor in living in today’s society. But it is not the answer to every problem I have, so therefore it is not worthy of being desired.

        This paper was a learning experience for me. I have never really done a research paper of this sort. I really enjoyed doing this and I hope that this paper is somewhat to your satisfaction.