OF THE PRINCIPLE OF UTILITY

from An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, 1780

TASK

Identify from the text:

A: definition of utility: 

III. By utility is meant that property in any object, whereby it tends to produce benefit, advantage, pleasure, good, or happiness, (all this in the present case comes to the same thing) or (what comes again to the same thing) to prevent the happening of mischief, pain, evil, or unhappiness to the party whose interest is considered: if that party be the community in general, then the happiness of the community: if a particular individual, then the happiness of that individual.

B) the principle on which it is based:

 A thing is said to promote the interest of an individual when it tend to add to the sum total of his pleasures

C) the way in which utility can affect policies

A measure of government may be said to be conformable to or dictated by the principle of utility when its tendency to augment the happiness of the community is greater than any which it has to diminish it.