Introduction to Political Philosophy

Utilitarianism and Liberty

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, Chapters I and III, pp. 88-98, 131-146.

Questions:

  1. In chapter I, Mill speaks of the need for liberty used to be against the tyranny of political rulers. Why does he claim that liberty is still necessary in a democratic society? What all is liberty supposed to protect against?
  2. Who or what typically determines the rules and laws of a society according to Mill? Who or what should determine them?
  3. Mill says “the object of this Essay is to assert one very simple principle”. What is this principle? (It is commonly known as the “harm principle” in contemporary discussions.) Who does this principle apply to?
  4. What areas of one’s life does liberty apply?
  5. In chapter III, Mill offers an “epistemic” argument in favor of permitting a wide scope for individuality. An epistemic argument is one that appeals to our cognitive limitations and the means that are available to us to learn about a subject matter. What is this argument?
  6. Mill also argues that individuality is an important component of individual welfare or happiness. What is the argument in support of this claim?
  7. Mill describes the conditions under which the liberties of individuality may be rightly circumscribed and illustrates how these limits are grounded in the harm principle. Reconstruct this argument.
  8. The majority will often find the expression of “individuality” to be a nuisance. They can therefore claim that it detracts from social utility and ought to be curbed, limited, or suppressed. Mill argues, however, that there are distinctive benefits associated with permitting a wide scope for individual difference as well as distinctive costs to curbing it. What is this argument?

 

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