Final answer:
True, John Stuart Mill was critical of Bentham's utilitarian approach and introduced qualitative distinctions in his own utilitarian ethics. Mill's adaptation of utilitarianism considered both quantitative and qualitative aspects of pleasure and became significant in the history of ethical theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, John Stuart Mill was critical of Bentham's utilitarian approach to ethics. While Bentham's utilitarianism was centered on the quantitative aspect of pleasures, Mill introduced the idea of qualitative distinctions in his utilitarian approach. Mill's utilitarian ethics align with the history of ethical theory by acknowledging that qualitative differences are essential in moral judgments. This perspective of Mill's utilitarianism was significant in the evolution of ethical theory and is still relevant to discussions about how to balance various interests and outcomes in situations such as clinical trials and government policy.
John Stuart Mill recognized that not all questions of utility can be answered with a simple quantitative calculation. He emphasized the presence of higher and lower pleasures, adding a layer of complexity to utilitarian calculus that acknowledges that certain pleasures (such as intellectual or artistic pleasures) are intrinsically more valuable than others (such as mere physical gratification).
Overall, Mill posited that utilitarian judgments could be based both on quantitative and qualitative measures of pleasure, suggesting that qualitative differences must lead to a difference in the quantitative assessment of pleasure. His nuanced approach to utilitarianism sought to develop Bentham's ideas by assigning greater importance to the quality of pleasures in the calculus of happiness and moral judgment.