How did John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism respond to criticisms of Bentham’s philosophy?

John Stuart Mill addressed criticisms that Jeremy Bentham’s version of utilitarianism was "narrow and crude" by introducing several key modifications in his 1861 essay, Utilitarianism.1

To counter the perception that utilitarianism ignored the quality of human experience, Mill distinguished between "higher" and "lower" pleasures. He argued that intellectual and moral pleasures are qualitatively superior to mere physical sensations, famously asserting that it is "better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied".1

Furthermore, Mill responded to concerns that utilitarianism conflicted with established moral convictions—such as the duty to keep promises—by shifting the focus of moral evaluation. Rather than attempting to calculate the utility of every individual action, Mill argued that individuals should be guided by general moral principles. He maintained that adhering to these principles generally tends to increase happiness, and that one should only consider the specific consequences of an action in exceptional circumstances. Through these refinements, Mill sought to align utilitarian theory with broader human values while maintaining the core objective of maximizing happiness.1