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1、StudyQuestions:1.HowdoesMilldescribethebasicmoralstandardofutilitarianism?2.Howdoeshedefendhimselfagainstthosewhosaythatthisisacrasspleasuretheory?3.Whatisthebasisforknowingthatsomepleasuresarebetterinqualitythanothers?Whichpleasuresarethese?HowdoesMillanswerthosewhomightsaythatpeoplew
2、ouldnotalwayspreferthelifeofahumanbeingoverthelifeofafullysatisfiedanimalsuchasapig?4.Whosehappinessorpleasure,then,shouldwepromote?Areanimalsincluded?5.AccordingtoMill,howarewetoknowwhetheranythingisdesirableorgood?6.Howdoweknowthathappinessisagoodinitselforasanend?7.HowdoesMillrespon
3、dtotheassertionthattherearethingsotherthanhappinessthatpeopleseemtodesirefortheirownsakes?Thecreedwhichacceptsasthefoundationofmorals,Utility,ortheGreatestHappinessPrinciple,holdsthatactionsarerightinproportionastheytendtopromotehappiness,wrongastheytendtoproducethereverseofhappiness.B
4、yhappinessisintendedpleasure,andtheabsenceofpain;byunhappiness,pain,andtheprivationofpleasure.Togiveaclearviewofthemoralstandardsetupbythetheory,muchmorerequirestobesaid;inparticular,whatthingsitincludesintheideasofpainandpleasure;andtowhatextentthisisleftanopenquestion.Butthesesupplem
5、entaryexplanationsdonotaffectthetheoryoflifeonwhichthistheoryofmoralityisgrounded-namely,thatpleasure,andfreedomfrompain,aretheonlythingsdesirableasends;andthatalldesirablethings(whichareasnumerousintheutilitarianasinanyotherscheme)aredesirableeitherforthepleasureinherentinthemselves,o
6、rasmeanstothepromotionofpleasureandthepreventionofpain.Now,suchatheoryoflifeexcitesinmanyminds,andamongtheminsomeofthemostestimableinfeelingandpurpose,inveteratedislike.Tosupposethatlifehas(astheyexpressit)nohigherendthanpleasure-nobetterandnoblerobjectofdesireandpursuit-theydesignatea
7、sutterlymeanandgrovelling;asadoctrineworthyonlyofswine,towhomthefollowersofEpicuruswere,ataveryearlyperiod,contemptuouslylikened;andmodernholdersofthedoctrineareoccasionallymadethesubjectofequallypolitecomparisonsbyitsGerman,French,andEnglishassailants.Whenthusattacked,theEpicureansh
