For now, what I want to convey is twofold: First, the utilitarian conception of happiness is very broad, encompassing all positive aspects of experience as well as the removal of negative aspects. This is what we mean by “happiness.” Second, in light of this, it’s not unreasonable to think of happiness as occupying a special place among our values, as more than just another item on the list. Unlike the most ardent utilitarians, I don’t think that happiness is the one true value. Instead, what makes happiness special—and this is Bentham and Mill’s real insight, in my opinion—is that happiness
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