Page "Utilitarianism" Paragraph 38

Hall and Popkin defend Mill against this accusation pointing out that he begins Chapter Four by asserting that “ that questions of ultimate ends do not admit of proof, in the ordinary acceptation of the term ” and that this is “ common to all first principles .” According to Hall and Popkin, therefore, Mill does not attempt to “ establish that what people do desire is desirable but merely attempts to make the principles acceptable .” The type of “ proof ” Mill is offering " consists only of some considerations which, Mill thought, might induce an honest and reasonable man to accept utilitarianism ".