These summaries and problems deal with Mill's Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism Mill's utilitarianism presumes a hedonistic theory of value. Higher pleasures, however, are more valuable than lower ones. For example, the pleasures of learning things and of helping others are more valuable than the pleasures of eating and drinking. We can decide which pleasures are more valuable by looking to the consensus of experienced observers.
Utilitarianism says that actions are right if promote the greatest happiness of the greatest number.
This is the basic principle of ethics, and the foundation of morality. In applying the principle, the happiness of every sentient being counts equally. He argues that this view doesn't give workable principles unless it implicitly appeals to utility. We know what is intrinsically good by reflecting on our desires. Since the only thing that we desire for its own sake is pleasure and the absence of pain, this must be the only thing of intrinsic worth.