What Is The Greatest Happiness Principle?

If you’ve done much philosophical studying, you may already know about the greatest happiness principle (also called the utility principle). It’s a relatively simple ideal established by John Stuart Mill exploring general happiness, though its application and general rules can be a little more complex. There are varying opinions about whether the greatest happiness principle is realistic fundamental principle or whether it can convey the truth about human life and morality. So, just what is it and what does it mean?

The greatest happiness principle

Utility, for this purpose, is defined as happiness without pain. The general idea behind utilitarianism, set out by two of its early adherents and founders, Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, was to promote the “greatest amount of good for the greatest number.”

The founders agreed that human happiness tends to be understood in hedonistic terms. It’s all about enjoying higher pleasures and avoiding pain. Human sensibilities are greater than animal appetites, and as such, humans can understand the morality and consequences of their intended pleasure. So, according to this theory, Mill establishes that if someone commits an action to promote happiness without pain, then that action is moral. If the action does not cause happiness without pain, then that action is considered immoral. This relatively simplistic interpretation of morality begs different perspectives on a person’s happiness and its application in our lives.

Support for the principle

When we think about it in general terms, we may see that there are plenty of reasons why this principle makes sense.

If you do things that, in a broad sense, make people happy and don’t cause any harm, you would likely believe that you’re doing the right thing, and doing the right thing may be considered moral. But there are situations where no decision could be considered totally without harm or pain, and situations where it can be difficult to determine which action causes more happiness. In other words, when dealing with human beings and social arrangements, it can be challenging to determine which choices are in the best interest of everyone. That’s why a bit more information may be necessary.

The creators of this principle say that, alongside the previous description of the first principle, the action must also be an optimal, higher-quality choice. To be determined as the higher quality option, the choice must be preferred by the majority of people. So, according to this principle, it is a person’s moral obligation to make choices that align with the decided preference and well being of the majority of people. 

For example, most people may agree that going out of your way to help a person in need cross a busy street is a moral act. It makes the person happy, causes no harm, and is a higher-quality option (in most people’s minds) than letting that person struggle to cross on their own. Therefore, it follows the greatest happiness principle.

Of course, there is also the possibility that in a given situation, two choices may be equally moral to perform, which means that it would be up to the individual or group to decide on one or the other without regard for morality, according to this theory.

Criticism against the principle

There are several valid criticisms of the greatest happiness principle, one of the most popular of which is that you can’t see the future, which means that it may be impossible to understand all of the consequences of anything that you might do.

A certain action may seem moral at the time but cause harm at some point in the future. This can make determining a moral action, or one that fits the moral principles we’ve been discussing, much more complicated.

There are also some factors that are not exactly a criticism, but which do not fit the principle and its argument.

Malignant practices and societal laws

The greatest happiness principle takes into account only the obligations of a person in terms of utility, but doesn’t compensate for a person acting out of active malice or malpractice or the laws and customs of individual societies.

For example, an individual could break a societal law or criminal law for the sake of increasing utility, and this would be acceptable under the rules of the greatest happiness principle. Someone could engage in an activity for all of the wrong reasons and motives, here termed malignant practices—all to increase that level of utility—and this, too, would be just fine according to the principle. 

Of course, most of us would have different opinions about those actions, but the principle would say they were still moral.

Understanding it all

If you’re looking for an ethical principle to follow, it can be important to understand that there may never be just one moral standard that fully exemplifies what is needed in any given situation. There may never be one moral theory that fully gives you a description of right and wrong with no gray area. You may need secondary principles to cover everything. 

Many of the ideas put forth by the founders of utilitarianism and the greatest happiness principle might help you lead a life that you consider to be more ethical and happy on a personal level. Depending on your values, however, you may choose to select from several different ethical frameworks and principles when approaching your life and relationships.

So, how do you make sure that you’re doing things right? Well, you might have to make the most ethical choices that you can for yourself and others, and then make sure that you can live with them (and their consequences) over time.

Try to figure out what you want your life and the lives of those around you to look like. Ask yourself, what kind of person do I want to be? No matter how you answer those personal questions, the general idea behind the greatest happiness principle—making those around you happy—may always be able to fit into your life. And when you work to make others happy, you might end up increasing your own happiness, too.

Seeking help

If you would like help better navigating the world of ethics or if you’re having trouble managing everyday life, consider reaching out for help. There are mental health professionals who can help you maximize happiness and lead a healthy and happy life. Even those in good health and who don’t have a diagnosable mental illness can benefit from therapy or regular appointments with a mental health professional.

Online therapy

Studies show that online therapy benefits people who are dealing with complex emotions associated with different mental health issues. In one broad-based report, researchers looked at the effectiveness of online therapy for depression, anxiety, panic disorder, and other common disorders. The study found that online therapy, and in particular cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can have as positive an impact on participants’ mental health as face-to-face therapy.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy can help individuals understand and replace the intrusive, negative thoughts that may be underlying unwanted emotions and behaviors. These findings can be added to those of many other studies finding that online counseling can be a more available form of therapy, due to the elimination of some geographical, time, and stigma barriers.

As mentioned above, when you want to address complicated emotions related to happiness or life fulfillment, online therapy can help. With BetterHelp you can log on to any internet-connected device and begin a conversation with a qualified mental health professional. Read below for some reviews of BetterHelp counselors, from people asking similar questions.

Therapist reviews

“In only one month of therapy with Michal, I was able to discover a lot of aspects of myself. She was skillful in asking all the right questions and targeting the core issues and problems. The video sessions were very comforting, I felt connected immediately and the conversations were well-rounded, focused, and efficient. We managed to cover all my main concerns. Moreover, Michal provided me with extra material, tools, and techniques to rely on when I am experiencing difficulties and those techniques are already changing my everyday life. I feel very fortunate that I had the chance to work with Michal.”

“Rachelle and I connected immediately. She is non-judgmental, supportive, validating, and offers great ideas and suggestions to guide me in my journey toward health and happiness. Rachelle is extremely personable and also very trustworthy, thoughtful, and vulnerable. I never imagined I could have such a strong, loving, supportive connection with my therapist. I know she is in my corner, has my back, and also provides me the highest level of expertise possible.”