Mill's 'On Liberty' A Reader's Guide

by Scarre, Geoffrey

• ISBN13: 9780826486493
• ISBN10: 0826486495
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-06-23
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic

Summary

Continuum's Reader's Guidesare clear, concise and accessible introductions to classic works of philosophy. Each book explores the major themes, historical and philosophical context and key passages of a major philosophical text, guiding the reader toward a thorough understanding of often demanding material. Ideal for undergraduate students, the guides provide an essential resource for anyone who needs to get to grips with a philosophical text. First published in 1859, John Stuart Mill's On Liberty has exerted an enormous influence on philosophical and political thought ever since. Mill, also famous for his writings on utilitarianism, argues that individual liberty is of paramount importance and that any infringements of it must be kept to an absolute minimum. Mill himself described his brief but brilliant book as asserting 'one very simple principle . . . that the sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering in the liberty of any of their number, is self-protection.' Of course, drawing out the implications of this principle have proved to be anything but simple, and the various interpretations of Mill's doctrine have spawned countless debates and mountains of secondary literature. Numerous moral and political theorists have drawn on Mill's work, including Berlin, Rawls and Raz, and his ideas remain as relevant as ever today.

Author Biography

Geoffrey Scarre is Reader in Philosophy and current Head of Department at the University of Durham, UK.

Table of Contents

Introductory note	p. vii
Context	p. 1
John Stuart Mill	p. 1
The background to On Liberty	p. 4
Overview of Themes	p. 10
Reading the Text	p. 17
Introductory	p. 17
Of the liberty of thought and discussion	p. 36
Of individuality, as one of the elements of well-being	p. 60
Of the limits to the authority of society over the individual	p. 84
Applications	p. 109
Reception and Influence	p. 135
Guide to Reading	p. 151
Notes	p. 157
Index	p. 163
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