Toward a better map of morality: Harmonizing the Kantian and Millian moral methodologies

Abstract This paper argues that the methods for distinguishing right actions from wrong actions presented in the moral philosophies of Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill converge to a remarkable degree. Kant, like Mill, classifies moral actions as those leading to the greatest happiness, for he thinks moral actions approximate (to the extent circumstances are under an agent's control) the kingdom of ends, which is the state of the greatest possible happiness. Meanwhile, Mill tells us to always pursue the greatest possible happiness; accordingly, the principle justifying any particular action that Mill would recommend in particular circumstances will always be universalizable according to Version 1 of Kant's Categorical Imperative.