In John Stuart Mill's work, Utilitarianism, Mill attempts to provide evidence for his moral theory of utilitarianism and refute all objections against it. Mill defines utilitarianism as a theory based on the principle that "actions are good in so far as they tend to promote happiness, bad in so far as they tend to produce the opposite of happiness" (Ch. II, page 7). He calls this the “greatest happiness principle.” Mill says: “No reason can be given why general happiness is desirable, except that each man desires his own happiness, so far as he thinks it to be attainable. But it is a fact; thus we not only have all the proofs that could be required that happiness is a good; that each person’s happiness is a good for that person; and therefore this general happiness is a good for all people as a whole. Happiness has asserted its claim to be one of the ends of conduct, and consequently one of the criteria of morality” (Ch. IV, page 35). Mill's book supports his theory that happiness is the sole basis of morality because people never desire anything other than happiness and that desire will bring the greatest good to the greatest number of people. In the second chapter, Mill gives the definition of utility as the existence of pleasure and the absence of pain, and according to Mill it is happiness. However, he explains that utilitarianism does not say that it is moral for people to simply pursue what makes them personally happy, but that what is more important to it is the happiness of all. Mill's argument is that moral actions are what increase the total amount of utility in the world. Therefore, seeking one's own happiness at the expense of social happiness would not be moral in his framework. Mill tri...... middle of document ......ill uses the concept of "first principles" and the foundations of morality throughout his essay. For Mill's philosophy, he believes that everyone must understand what the essential principle of morality is and why it is so special. He explains that this concept of "utility" is what he believes to be the moral foundation and that it is so central to our existence as human beings because it achieves people's happiness. Works Cited • Mill, John Stuart and George Sher. Utilitarianism. 2nd ed. London: Hackett Publishing, 1895. Print. • Kant, Immanuel and James W. Ellington. Basis for the metaphysics of morality. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Pub. Co., 1981. Print.• Le Guin, Ursula K. “Those Who Walk Away from Omelas.” Craig P. Dunn, Ph.D. and San Diego State University. Internet. October 10, 2013.