Chapter two of Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mills essentially runs through the basic tenets and definitions of Utilitarianism, and also addresses some important objections and misconceptions of the philosophy. Sadly, although Mills tries to rescue much of the vocabulary of Utilitarianism from public misconception and appropriation, he seems to have failed on this account. Of course the true understanding of his philosophy does not lie with the masses, but instead with those who have entered the realm of higher pleasures, so the problem with the misunderstandings can be considered ultimately moot.
             Mills stresses that utility is not in opposition to pleasure, but instead an absence of pain. In other words, utility is not something that should be considered in contrast to pleasure; instead it should be considered in unity with pleasure as part of pleasure's inherent qualities. Utility, as defined here, serves as what Mills considers the very foundation of morality as well as the starting point for human desire. This duality of utility is what enables it to be functional as a practice. Of course this definition does not mean that it is morally correct for anyone to pursue any and everything that makes them happy on a personal level. What this means is that morality is driven by the principle of greatest happiness, which is, simply stated, the idea that what is morally correct will serve not the individual alone, but it will also serve all of humanity, thereby increasing the overall amount of pleasure (utility) in the world. With this in mind it is clear that for an individual to pursue pleasure that serves only himself, he would be committing an act that is morally wrong.
             The most intriguing, and the most significant, section of chapter two is the discussion and distinction of the higher and lower pleasures. Mill asserts that the very virtue of being a human being raises the faculty of an individual above the base pleasures of...