Ethics Of Happiness Essay

In this essay I will argue that ethics of happiness are a set of acceptable principles that guide the way individuals should act in a given situation. Utilitarian Ethics is morally right acts that bring the most happiness to individuals. For instance, utilitarian ethics main focus is happiness and what decision will produce the maximum amount of happiness for everyone involved. Kant would say that the actions of somebody who acts justly because of the desire of happiness or pleasure have no moral worth. In fact, even if that person acts justly because of the desire for happiness of others, Kant would say that a person’s actions have no moral worth. John Stuart Mill’s observation was that people misunderstood utilitarism as self-pleasure. Happiness should be varied as intended pleasure and absence of unhappiness. Mills states that it "… is not the agent's own greatest happiness, but the greatest amount of happiness altogether…” This leaves no room for opinion because then the greater number would not be contemplated. So who does Mills leave to decide to whom may plan what the greater happiness is? It would be left up to people with lots of knowledge and wisdom. Mills thinks that the so-called experts would be able to decide the greatest happiness. But must be " strictly impartial as a disinterested and benevolent spectator ". At some point his idea makes sense. To live in a strict utilitarian society you would need someone to decide what the greater good would be for all. I would to some extent agree with him on that point. But the truth is we don't live in a utilitarian society.

“A good will is not a good because what of effects or accomplishes because of its fitness to attain some proposed end but only because of its violati...

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...ately lights upon what is in fact in common interests and in conformity with duty and hence honorable, deserves praise and encouragement but not esteem; for the maxim lacks moral content, namely that of doing such actions not from inclination.” (Page, 11, Kant)

Second, possessing and maintaining one's moral goodness is the very condition under which anything else is worth having or pursuing. Intelligence and even pleasure are worth having only on the condition that they do not require giving up one's fundamental moral convictions. The value of a good will thus cannot be that it secures certain valuable ends, whether of our own or of others, since their value is entirely conditional on our possessing and maintaining a good will. Indeed, since it is good under any condition, its goodness must not depend on any particular conditions obtaining. Thus, Kant points out