# J. S. Mill — Principia Ethica character guide

> J. S. Mill in Principia Ethica by G. E. Moore.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mill, himself

**First appearance:** 0005-i-the-subject-matter-of-ethics

## Snapshot

The utilitarian giant whose 'Utilitarianism' Moore calls admirably clear and fair — right before dismantling its logic piece by piece.

## Who they are

Mill is the first major opponent Moore examines, and the one he treats with the most respect, calling his book an admirably clear and fair discussion of ethical principles. The tension is sharp: Moore admires Mill's method and honesty while arguing that his hedonistic conclusions rest on a confusion between 'desirable' and 'desired.' Mill's presence in the early chapters establishes the pattern for the whole book — careful exposition, then surgical refutation — and makes him the benchmark against which Moore measures every subsequent error.

## In the story

### [Principia Ethica](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/principia-ethica)

Critiqued for his utilitarian hedonism and naturalistic fallacy.

### [I: The Subject-Matter of Ethics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/i-the-subject-matter-of-ethics)

Mentioned as having committed the naturalistic fallacy, to be examined later.

### [II: Naturalistic Ethics](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/ii-naturalistic-ethics)

Mentioned as a proponent of substituting psychology for ethics, illustrating the naturalistic fallacy.

### [III: Hedonism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/chapters/iii-hedonism)

His Utilitarianism is examined and criticized for committing the naturalistic fallacy.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/characters/john_stuart_mill
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/principia_ethica_se/characters