Introduction to Political Philosophy

Liberty and Society

As you read the material for the next class, keep the questions below in mind. To answer these questions you will have to reflect critically on what you have read and possibly re-read important passages. Keep in mind that there are two basic kinds of information that you need to look for in the readings.

1. What are the main points or conclusions that an author accepts with respect to a particular issue?
2. What are the reasons or important considerations that lead the author to accept that conclusion?

For our purposes, it is information of the latter sort (2) that will be our primary concern since our most basic task is to evaluate the reasons that are offered to support accepting one possible conclusion about an issue, rather than another. Although I strongly suggest that you write out brief answers to these questions, you do not have to turn in written responses. You do, however, need to be prepared to speak intelligently to these issues in the next class meeting.

Reading:

• John Stuart Mill, On Liberty from Mary Warnock (ed.), Utilitarianism and On Liberty, Chapter IV, p. 147-162.

Questions:

1. Mill argues that “To individuality should belong the part of life in which it is chiefly the individual that is interested; to society, the part which chiefly interests society”. How does Mill delineated these interests and how is it—and this statement—justified?
2. Does Mill ultimately maintain that other members of society should have complete indifference to the choices I make with my life, provided my choices satisfy the Harm Principle?
3. What argument does Mill see as the strongest against permitting the state or society to interfere with individual decisions, even if social utility could be increased by doing so?

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