JusticeJohn Stuart Mill

John Stuart Mill

British Philosopher1806 – 1873

Most Famous Works:

•Utiliarianism deals with ethics.

•On Liberty deals with political philosophy

Broadened View of Happiness

•Pleasures of sensation •Pleasures of feeling and imagination•Pleasures of moral sentiment•Pleasures of the intellect

Higher and Lower Pleasures

•Need to look not just at the quantity of pleasure but also at the quality.

•“It is better to be a human dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied that a fool satisfied.” p. 19

Quality Test

“Of two pleasures, if there be one to which all or almost all who have experience of both give a decided preference, irrespective of any feeling of moral obligation to prefer it, that is the more desirable pleasure.” p. 18

Mill’s Two Basic Principles

•Greatest Happiness Principle:

“Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as the tend to produce the reverse of happiness.” Utilitarianism

•Harm Principle:

“The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others” On Liberty

How are the two principles related?

•Mill’s Basic claim: The harm principle tends to maximize the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

Basic Liberties according to Mill

•Freedom of Conscience

•Freedom of Speech and Thought

•Freedom of Assembly