Final answer:
John Stuart Mill addresses the shortcoming of utilitarianism's simplistic quantitative approach to happiness. He introduces higher and lower pleasures, emphasizes qualitative aspects of pleasure, and advocates for the Greatest Happiness Principle and the harm principle.
Step-by-step explanation:
John Stuart Mill's Problem in 'Utilitarianism' John Stuart Mill addresses the complexity of utilitarian ethics in his work Utilitarianism. Mill argues that while utilitarian judgments can be based on quantitative measurements of pleasure, they must also consider qualitative differences, as not all pleasures are of the same kind. Mill identified what he calls higher and lower pleasures to distinguish between various qualities of pleasure, underscoring the fact that some pleasures have greater worth than others. He proposed the Greatest Happiness Principle, advocating that actions that produce the greatest happiness for the most people are the right ones. Mill also emphasized the importance of impartiality and benevolence when applying utilitarian principles, asserting that we must put personal interests aside and strive for the happiness of all concerned.
Mill's contributions significantly developed Bentham's earlier formulation of utilitarianism by refining the pleasure calculus and proposing that higher-quality pleasures should be given greater significance in moral decision-making. Moreover, his harm principle suggested that individual actions should only be limited if they harm others, marking a departure from merely quantitative analyses and advocating for individual rights within a utilitarian framework.