Pursuit of happiness from "summary" of Utilitarianism and On Liberty by John Stuart Mill
The principle of utility certainly recognizes that the pursuit of happiness is the ultimate end of human action. It holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure, and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain, and the privation of pleasure. To give a clear view of the moral standard set up by the theory, much more requires to be said; in particular, what things it includes in the ideas of pain and pleasure. On the one hand, human beings have faculties more elevated than the animal appetites, and when once made conscious of them, do not regard anything as happiness which does not include their gratification. On the other hand, as human beings are not capable of living in the enjoyment of only what they have in common with all other human beings, but require a distinction in their favor, opportunities for exercising their higher faculties, they desire to have as much of thos...
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