A Comparative Study of utilitarianism of Mill and Expediency Theory in Shiite Theology with an Emphasis on Baghdad Theological School

Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill, as a classical utilitarian, has a central role in utilitarian theories. Based on this theory the fundamental principle of moral value is the most benefit to the most people.

On the other hand, in the Shi’a theological tradition and the rationalist school of Baghdad,opinions about expediency, that introduce it as the basis of value and the good and evil of acts, can be compared with utilitarianism, and it helps us to understand Islamic moral philosophy better.

Therefore, this study, with a descriptive-analytical method, compares Mill’s theory with the theory of expediency, derived from the views of the main theologians of Baghdad (Sheikh Mufid, Seyyed Morteza and Sheikh Tusi). A comparison is organized in five parts: generality, principles analysis, fundamentals, benefits and inherent expediencies and their types and conclusions. This research is concluded that both theories are unified in principle.

In utilitarianism the principle of utility is the criterian of being good or bad action. in expediency theory, the criterian is real expediency which is determine either by the intellect in detail in acts with fixed good and evil, or by the detailed recognition of God in actions that have variable expediency and corrupting. Although Mill’s theory is compatible with Christian doctrine, it is a secular theory and devoid of theological assumptions, but expediency theory is highly influential and based on theological grounds. Finally, although the essential goodness in John Stuart’s utilitarianism and ultimate interest in expediency theory leads to pleasure, but unlike John Stuart’s utilitarianism, pleasure in expediency theory is regarded as the basis of the value of acts that either derive from the essential sentences of the intellect or God who is absolute perfection has been endorsed, so that the enduring pleasures of the hereafter are preceded the pleasures of this world. The nature of expediency theory causes many of the flaws in Mill’s theory, such as the difficulty of calculating profits or neglecting individual profits, to be avoided.