According to Mill's harm principle, are acts that cause suffering to others but increase overall happiness morally permissible?
Understand the Problem
The question is related to Mill's harm principle, which is part of moral philosophy. The question asks whether acts that cause suffering to others but increase overall happiness are morally permissible according to this principle. We need to determine if this statement accurately reflects Mill's harm principle or contradicts it.
Answer
No, actions causing suffering to others are not morally permissible, even if they increase overall happiness, as per Mill's harm principle.
According to Mill's harm principle, actions that cause suffering to others are not morally permissible, even if they increase overall happiness. The harm principle states that the only justification for limiting individual liberty is to prevent harm to others.
Answer for screen readers
According to Mill's harm principle, actions that cause suffering to others are not morally permissible, even if they increase overall happiness. The harm principle states that the only justification for limiting individual liberty is to prevent harm to others.
More Information
John Stuart Mill articulated and defended utilitarianism and liberalism, and his greatest philosophical influence is in moral and political philosophy.
Tips
It is a common mistake to confuse overall happiness with individual suffering and the harm principle prevents this.
Sources
- Harm principle - Wikipedia - en.wikipedia.org
- John Stuart Mill: Ethics - Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - iep.utm.edu
- Mill's Moral and Political Philosophy - plato.stanford.edu
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