Punishment and Discretion in Mill's Utilitarianism

Author:

TURNER PIERS NORRIS

Abstract

I argue that a notorious passage from Utilitarianism concerning the relationship between morality and blameworthiness need not be an obstacle to a consistent act-utilitarian interpretation of Mill's moral theory. First, the Art of Life provides a framework for reconciling Mill's evaluation of conduct in terms of both expediency and blameworthiness. Like contemporary sophisticated act-utilitarians, Mill treats expediency as the more fundamental category of evaluation. Second, textual evidence suggests that, on Mill's view, evaluations of blameworthiness are not strictly bound by rules, despite rule-ish considerations about punishment and discretion. Third, Mill's own jurisdictional account in terms of competent decision-making remains consistent with the act-utilitarian interpretation.

Publisher

Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Subject

Sociology and Political Science,Philosophy

Reference11 articles.

1. How Thinking about Character and Utilitarianism Might Lead to Rethinking the Character of Utilitarianism

2. The absolutism problem in On Liberty

3. Alienation, Consequentialism, and the Demands of Morality;Railton;Philosophy and Public Affairs,1984

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