约翰·密尔对边沁功利主义的修正及其局限

J.S.Mill's Revision on Bentham's Utilitarianism and Its Limitations

19世纪中后期,作为对蓬勃发展的现代工业文明的反思,约翰·密尔对边沁功利主义学说进行了修正。密尔准确切中了边沁学说的要害,他重新界定幸福的本质,挖掘道德的内在维度,为功利主义在现代文明中的存续提供了理论支点,具有显著的社会现实意义。然而,此番在英国自由主义内部进行的修正仍然未能突破"个性缺失"、"个人利益与社会利益的矛盾"以及"资本与政治权力的共生关系"等诸困境,因而具有其明显的局限,难以通向真正的人的自由与解放。

In the second half of the 1800s, as a response to the booming modern industrial civilization, John Stuart Mill revised Bentham’ s utilitarianism.He precisely took up the vital points of Bentham’s theory,redefined the essence of happiness,and emphasized the internal dimension of morality.As a result, Mill’ s revision, with profound influences on the British society, provided a powerful theoretical support to the utilitarianism in modern times.This revision, limited within the boundary of British liberalism, however, failed to get rid of the dilemmas of ＂ the lack of personality＂, ＂ the conflicts between individual benefits and social benefits＂, and ＂ the collaborations between the capital and the political power＂.Therefore, there are significant limitations in Mill’ s revision which block the way to man’s true freedom and liberty.