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Full Idea
Most utilitarians now think that pleasure, even if construed widely, is not the only thing desirable in itself. ...Goods also include important knowledge, friendship, autonomy, achievement and so on.
Gist of Idea
Modern utilitarians value knowledge, friendship, autonomy, and achievement, as well as pleasure
Source
Brad W. Hooker (Rule Utilitarianism and Euthanasia [1997], 2)
Book Ref
'Ethics in Practice (2nd Ed)', ed/tr. LaFollette,Hugh [Blackwell 2002], p.23
A Reaction
That pleasure is desired is empirically verifiable, which certainly motivated Bentham. A string of other desirables each needs to be justified - but how? What would be the value of a 'friendship' if neither party got pleasure from it?
| 3554 | Bentham thinks happiness is feeling good, but why use morality to achieve that? [Annas on Bentham] |
| 3781 | The value of pleasures and pains is their force [Bentham] |
| 3763 | Ultimate goods such as pleasure can never be proved to be good [Mill] |
| 3765 | Only pleasure and freedom from pain are desirable as ends [Mill] |
| 3766 | Better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied [Mill] |
| 5398 | Judgements of usefulness depend on judgements of value [Russell] |
| 20585 | If an experience machine gives you any experience you want, should you hook up for life? [Nozick] |
| 20883 | Modern utilitarians value knowledge, friendship, autonomy, and achievement, as well as pleasure [Hooker,B] |