John Stuart Mill on Individual Liberty Essay - 2353 Words

John Stuart Mill on Individual Liberty Definition of Individual liberty In his work On Liberty, Mill placed much emphasis on individual liberty and its vital role in political society. To Mill, this phrase may be defined as the liberty of the individual to be the final judge over his actions; to decide what is right and wrong and to act upon that standard. On a secondary level, it also implies ones freedom to pursue ones own individuality. Mill believed in a society in which each individual leads his own distinctive life according to his own unique talents; unfettered by regulations upon thought, opinion, actions etc. However, Mill asserts an important caveat; that which he calls `the very simple principle. He writes, `That†¦show more content†¦Value of Individual Liberty Indeed, Mill asserted that the cultivation of ones individuality should be the goal of human existence. He wrote On Liberty as an argument against repressive laws which inhibit voluntary association and suppress original ideas and ways of thinking, in a bid to protect the freedom of the individual from stifling social conventions, oppressive legal controls and censorship. What is the value of individual liberty that calls for it to be defended so fervently by Mill? Individual Liberty and Truth Firstly, Mill believes that individual liberty is instrumental in the attainment of truth. No one can claim an infallibility of knowledge or a definite truth. Falsehoods are often sprinkled with specks of truth; and truth may exists as half-truths held by different people, and it is only through controversy that the truth in the parts can be unified into a larger canvas of the ultimate truth. If ones actions were to be censored completely, society would lose those specks of truth amongst the falsehoods, which would be disadvantageous to society. Furthermore, truth is very often not derived from the masses, but from the ideas of a select few. If these people are silenced by repressive laws or mass opinion, society will be deprived of a chance to find outShow MoreRelatedJohn Stuart Mills Work881 Words   |  4 PagesJohn Stuart Mill’s work provides a valuable insight to the issue of medicine that harm people in the classical utilitarian. Many people consider that prescription for medical marijuana as a moral sin or something that should be given to help the patients to improve his/her bad condition. As a majority of people and federal consider prescription for medical marijuana is immoral and it is restricted in many states including Texas. In the section on liberty, John StuartRead More`` On Liberty `` By John Stuart Mill1458 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Stuart Mill was an English philosopher and a progressive in British politics during the 17th century. He lived during a time of political transformation in England caused by the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution brought social mobility to the middle and lower class, along with more political participation. With this newfound freedom, the people of England felt their liberties were being diminished because they had the ability to accomplish all the more but in some cases, couldRead MoreJohn Locke And John Stuart Mill s On Liberty Essay1748 Words   |  7 Pagesphilosophers over time have developed their own conceptions of liberty and the relationship of individuals to not only society, but also the state. Political philosophers such as, Aristotle and Plato have more of an ancient conception of liberty and the role the individual plays in society and to the state. Whereas, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and John Stuart Mill have developed a more modernized conception of liberty and the role of the individual to the state and society. Plato’s work the Republic, andRead MoreJohn Locke And John Stuart Mill s On Liberty Essay1200 Words   |  5 PagesPhilosophers over time have developed their own conceptions of liberty and the relationship of individuals to not only society, but also the state. Political Philosophers such as, Aristotle and Plato have more of an ancient conception of liberty and the role the individual plays in society and to the state. Whereas, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and John Stuart Mill have developed a more modernized conception of liberty and the role of the individual to the state and society. Plato’s work the Republic, andRead MoreIndividualism And Liberty By John Stuart Mill1196 Words   |  5 Pages In the essay, Liberty, written by John Stuart Mill, Mill states that individualism is the theory that â€Å"[o]ver himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign† (7). 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They worked together andRead MoreAnalysis Of The Text On Liberty By John Stuart Mill1642 Words   |  7 PagesAccording the text ‘On Liberty’ by John Stuart Mill, his position with respect to free speech is that even one person had a specific opinion, mankind is not given grounds to silence him. Mill’s argument regarding free speech is valid because he protects the liberty of the individual over the popular opinion of society. I agree with Mill’s point of view because I also believe that everyone should have the voice to express what they wish, excluding when it causes harm to others. Mill begins the text byRead MoreThe Impact Of Media On American Society1640 Words   |  7 Pages John Stuart Mill in a post 9/11 Western Society Adam Kershek History 1002-106: Growth of Western Civilization Since 1715 November 2, 2017 It is no mystery that 9/11 brought upon change in American society. The lasting effects of this unforgiving event, such as, the ongoing wars, the severity of immigration and deportation laws, and the increase in racial profiling, continues to disrupt American society. This brings up an important question: Why are these still lasting issues inRead MoreMarx, Mill And Freud s Critique Of Political Economy And The Communist Manifesto Essay1133 Words   |  5 Pagesmerely implicit) notions of freedom and unfreedom we find in the texts we have read by Marx, Mill and Freud. Use the esoteric traditions we have examined thus far (from the Book of Job to Plato) as a comparative yardstick, or point of reference, but without letting them take over the foreground in your paper -- the latter should be reserved for these three figures. Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and John Stuart Mill are three authors who tackle the topic of freedom in unique ways, but their messages areRead MoreAccording to Mills, government should not be attempting to control individual freedoms, but should1100 Words   |  5 Pages According to Mills, government should not be attempting to control individual freedoms, but should be helping individuals develop in society. A society is only as great as the people who are in it. How a person develops should be up to them, but a government should support that development. Ensuring a free flow of factual information and opportunities for open discussion are ways a government can help. Again, he uses history as his support. He says that the history of mankind is a history of intellectual