Classical Utilitarianism: the Mail Philosophical Problems
Keywords:
classical utilitarianism, J.Bentham, J.S.Mill, principle of utility, pleasure and pain, «the greatest happiness of the greatest number», rationality, «moral arithmetic», consequentialism, welfarismAbstract
The article deals with the main theoretical statements of classical utilitarianism on such points as human nature, the essence of happiness and conditions of its attainment, models of moral action and the content of «the greatest happiness principle». The author compares J.Bentham’s and J.S.Mill’s solutions of these problems and tries to find out the sources of some conceptual differences between their ethical theories.