Single Idea 3554

[catalogued under 23. Ethics / E. Utilitarianism / 2. Ideal of Pleasure]

Full Idea

It is easy to fall into Bentham's mindless assumption that happiness must be a specific state of feeling good about something, but it is mysterious why anyone would think morality a good strategy for achieving this.

Gist of Idea

Bentham thinks happiness is feeling good, but why use morality to achieve that?

Source

comment on Jeremy Bentham (Intro to Principles of Morals and Legislation [1789]) by Julia Annas - The Morality of Happiness 2.7

Book Reference

Annas,Julia: 'The Morality of Happiness' [OUP 1995], p.129