It does not prove that men _ought_ to desire them. For that
proof we must look in some other direction; and a critical scrutiny of
the pleasures which moralists ancient and modern have generally accepted
as "higher" reveals a common characteristic which explains their being
thus classed together much better than the appeal to Mill's criterion.
[Footnote: See chapter xxx, Sec 142.]
As has often been pointed out, Mill, while defending Utilitarianism,
really passes beyond it, and his doctrine tends to merge in one widely
different from that of Bentham. For the "Greatest Happiness Principle" he
virtually substitutes the "Highest Happiness Principle." But he scarcely
realizes the significance of his substitution, and he gives an inadequate
account of the significance of higher and lower.
108. THE ARGUMENT FOR UTILITARIANISM.--We have seen above that Bentham
maintains that such words as "ought," "right" and "wrong" have no meaning
unless interpreted after the fashion of the utilitarian.
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