Quick Facts

• Born on May 20 1806
• Able to read Plato with ease by age 10 (a better man than me)
• Worked as a colonial adminstrator for the East India Company
• Died on May 8 1873

Life and Work

John Stuart Mill was a political theorist, economist and a well known british philosopher. Mill's commitment to individual freedom and utilitarianism formed the cornerstone of his philosophy. A work foundational to his beliefs, "On Liberty," (1859), argued for the importance of personal autonomy and limits on state interference in lives of individuals. He centered his argument of the societal benefits of giving individuals wider autonomy. Additionally, his work "Utilitarianism," (1861), explored the ethical theory of utilitarianism, which focused on the concept of 'utility' meaning that actions should increase utility by as much as possible (i.e. doing the greatest good for the greatest amount of people) both these works are cornerstones for the beliefs that Mill held throughout his life.

Selected Work by Author

On Liberty, Utilitarianism & Other Essays (1859/1861)

Selected Quote from the Work

"Every man who says frankly and fully what he thinks is so far doing a public service. We should be grateful to him for attacking most unsparingly our most cherished opinions."

Referenced Sources

Seminar Slideshow on Mill

“John Stuart Mill.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Stuart_Mill.