Phill 330 Ethics Reading Comprehension Post
Some critics hold that before taking any action, there is usually not enough time to calculate consequences before actions are taken. According to them, it can be too demanding to process utility if there is no time to make decisions. Mill dismissed this by stating that such a claim is like saying that people cannot guide their conduct by Christianity since they cannot read their bibles every time they act (Mill, 2002). He also articulates that people have had the whole human existence history to learn actions tendencies leading to specific outcomes. There is a significant value of consensus concerning what is essential, and people can impart this knowledge to their young ones. This does not mean that received ethics are often accurate, and there is still a lot to learn concerning the impacts of actions on happiness. However, individuals should not reapply the first principles to actions every time they perform them. Every rational person goes through life with his or her mind made up on specific questions concerning what is wrong and right.
When Mill objects to the saying, he prefers that individuals base their actions on collective human experience and what is known. Society shows people habitual and preferred behaviors that maximize their utility outcomes. This means that people should do their best to follow the patterns when pressed to make action choices. Similarly, they should follow a set of rules since there is ample time for people to learn by experience the tendencies of their actions (Mill, 2002). If people agree to consider utility as the test for morality, they would never agree on what is essential and take no necessary measures about what is taught to the young or enforced by opinion and law.
Reference
Mill, J. S. (2002). Utilitarianism (Second Edition). London: Oxford.
