John Stuart Mill's Political Philosophy

by John R. Fitzpatrick

Overview

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the philosophy of John Stuart Mill has never been more relevant. Can we reconcile individual liberty with the demands of the common good? John Fitzpatrick argues that, properly understood, Mill's liberal utilitarianism can indeed support a system of rights rich enough to guarantee individual liberty. Combining fresh interpretations of Mill's writings on ethics, politics, and political economy with the historical Mill that can found in his autobiography, the book will be of substantial interest to a wide audience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826487803
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/22/2006
Series:	Continuum Studies in British Philosophy
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

John R. Fitzpatrick teaches philosophy at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, USA.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE: UTILITARIANISM AND RIGHTS James Rachels and UtilitarianismPig UtilitarianismUtilitarianism and PrivacyRacial and Gender Justice Kant and RaceRacial BlindnessMill on RaceKant and WomenMill and Feminist Activism The Historical Mill and the Historical Kant Kant and Animals Kant and the Capacity for Rationality Bentham and Animals Bentham and Paederasty Classical Utilitarianism and Rights Utilitarianism, Egalitarianism, and the Right to Equal Consideration CHAPTER TWO: LIBERTARIANISM, CLASSICAL ECONOMICS, AND LIBERTYLibertarianism and Classical Political Economy Mill and Political Economy Freedom and Individual Self-Development The Harm Principle The Liberty Principle Mill's Dialectic Freedom of Expression and Individuality The Utility of Experiments in Living The Final Formulation of the Liberty Principle CHAPTER THREE: MILL'S MINIMALIST ETHICSEdwards' Reading of Mill A Point of Clarification Philosophy and Fashion The Difficulty with the Maximizing Reading The Minimalist Reading Mill and Moral Extremism Mill's Utilitarianism and On LibertyUtilitarianism and A System of LogicThe Principle of Utility Utility and Character FormationCHAPTER FOUR: THE RAWLSIAN OBJECTIONRawls's Objection(s)Bentham and RightsGray and Green UtilitarianismHospers's Two MillsPunishing the InnocentSlavery and Individual RightsThe Virtues of UtilitarianismThe Reality Based CommunityOpportunity CostsFalse DichotomiesPositive and Negative LibertyMoral ObjectivismCONCLUSIONBIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX