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Question: Summarize the "Pig Argument" against utilitarianism, (b) explain how the argument poses a problem for Bentham's utilitarianism, (c) explain how Mill's Utilitarianism solves this problem and (d) either defend or argue against Mill's solution.

12 Oct 2022,11:25 PM

 

In chapter II of his Utilitarianism, John Stuart Mill defends the utilitarian theory of ethics from various arguments against this. One of the most prevalent arguments he addresses is the so-called "Pig Argument". He answers this problem by presenting his own particular theory of utilitarianism, what we called "Mill's Utilitarianism". In this essay you're to explore Mill's version of utilitarianism and how it answers this argument. To do so you should (a) summarize the "Pig Argument" against utilitarianism, (b) explain how the argument poses a problem for Bentham's utilitarianism (see lecture notes), (c) explain how Mill's Utilitarianism solves this problem and (d) either defend or argue against Mill's solution. To answer (a) and (c) you must cite the proper pages of Utilitarianism where the problem and Mill's solution appear. To answer (d), you must both take a stance and argue for your stance.

Expert answer

 

The Pig Argument poses a problem for Bentham's utilitarianism because it claims that there are some things that are inherently bad and that no amount of good can outweigh them. Bentham's utilitarianism relies on the idea that everything can be weighed and measured in terms of how much good it will bring about, but the Pig Argument shows that there are some things that are simply too bad to be worth considering.

 

The problem with the Pig Argument is that it doesn't take into account the fact that different people have different preferences. What one person might consider to be a bad thing, another person might not mind at all. Bentham's utilitarianism is based on the idea of maximizing utility, or happiness, for the greatest number of people. This means that we need to take into account the fact that different people have different preferences. The Pig Argument fails to do this, and as a result, it doesn't really pose a problem for Bentham's utilitarianism.

 

The Pig Argument is a problem for Bentham's utilitarianism because it says that some things are bad and no good can make up for them. Bentham's utilitarianism says that everything can be measured in terms of how much good it will bring, but the Pig Argument shows that there are some things that are just too bad to be worth considering.

 

Mill's Utilitarianism solves this problem by saying that different people have different preferences. What one person might consider to be a bad thing, another person might not mind at all. Mill's utilitarianism is based on the idea of maximizing utility, or happiness, for the greatest number of people. This means that we need to take into account the fact that different people have different preferences. The Pig Argument fails to do this, and as a result, it doesn't really pose a problem for Bentham's utilitarianism.

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