PHIL102 Week 10 Lecture Notes: John Stuart Mill

Liberalism

• Liberal political philosophy emphasizes individual freedom, private property, democracy, and freedom of speech.
• Classical liberalism differs from current US usage of 'liberal,' libertarianism, and neoliberalism.

Mill's Education

• James Mill, John Stuart Mill's father, heavily supervised his education.
• He studied Greek at 3 and Latin at 8, mastering classics by 12.

On Liberty (1859)

• Mill advocated for protection against societal tyranny, not just governmental tyranny.
• He valued human development in its richest diversity.
• Humboldt: holistic, research-centered education promotes liberalism by developing individual powers and originality.

Fallibility and Induction

• Mill favored induction over a priori reasoning, believing genuine knowledge comes from experience.
• Inductive knowledge is fallible and corrigible.

Utility

• Mill supported utilitarianism: the greatest happiness for all.
• He differed from Bentham by considering the quality of pleasures, not just quantity.
• Novelty and free thought are essential for human flourishing.
• Principles:
  • Theoretical reason: Fallibility.
  • Practical reason: Utility.

Human Flourishing

• A progressive drive toward enriching human experience and well-being.

The Harm Principle

• Individual liberty should be enabled for the good of all.
• The sole justification for interfering with someone's liberty is to prevent harm to others.
• Individuals are sovereign over their own body and mind.

Rights and Well-being

• Mill rejected natural rights, favoring rights derived from experience to ensure long-term well-being.
• Government is necessary but should have restricted power.
• Distinction between self-regarding and other-regarding actions: government should only regulate other-regarding ones.

Paternalism

• The harm principle applies to those with mature faculties, not children or 'backward' societies.
• Despotism may be justified to improve 'barbarians'.

Mill’s Argument for Free Speech

• Even if one person holds a contrary opinion, silencing them is not justified.
• Free discussion allows the discovery and affirmation of truth.
• Against any assumption of infallibility.

Arguments for Free Speech

• Avoidance of mistake argument: Human fallibility necessitates freedom of expression.
• Assumption of infallibility argument: Stifling opinions assumes our own infallibility.
• Necessity of error argument: Suppressing false opinions prevents lively discussion.

Limits to Liberty

• Liberty should not cause nuisance or harm.
• Opinions lose immunity when they incite harmful actions.

Truth and Persecution

• Mill argued that truth does not automatically triumph over persecution.
• Rediscovery of truth over time is key.

Contemporary Concerns

• Considerations are needed regarding hate speech and the impact of social media.
• Humans should help each other distinguish better from worse, encouraging higher faculties.