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Full Idea
All judgements as to what is useful depend upon some judgement as to what has value on its own account.
Gist of Idea
Judgements of usefulness depend on judgements of value
Source
Bertrand Russell (Problems of Philosophy [1912], Ch. 7)
Book Ref
Russell,Bertrand: 'The Problems of Philosophy' [OUP 1995], p.42
A Reaction
This is a beautifully simple point to be made about utilitarianism. The notion that pleasure is the sole good is prior, and the first two sentences in Bentham totally beg that question. What is the value of pleasure? Is it wicked to turn down a pleasure?
| 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] |