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Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill

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John Stuart Mill is most popularly known for his development of utilitarianism. In short, utilitarianism is the greatest good for the greatest amount of people. In his book about utilitarianism he writes about many things, one of those being liberty and how much should be giving to a society. He discusses if the people should be allowed to voice their own opinion. He describes how they could voice it in many ways. One way was through the government and the other was through their own voice. When it comes down to it Mill states that it is wrong to silence somebody’s opinion. Mill goes on further to prove his point by responding to criticism. There are four pieces of criticism that Mill looks to respond to. Knowing the response to these forms …show more content…

This is true especially if the opinion is right. Just imagine if someone was not allowed to share their opinion on slavery during the late 1850s. It still might be seen as okay in today’s standards. One quotes that embodies why people holding their opinion’s to them selves is, “…the human race, posterity as well as the existing generation” ( ). One justification that silencing opinions is that humans are not perfect, humans are not flawless and are often wrong. So if humans are wrong let them correct themselves by letting people voice their opinion. Give them the liberty to say something when something is out of order. Mill offers an analysis on why the liberty of opinion is so often but under the microscope. It is because people are to self confident and they do not recognize their own infallibility. This confidence is not justified and that people are robbed from truly good …show more content…

The legal persecution for opinions is still significant in society. A classic claim of this is blasphemy or atheism. Mill contends that if there was strong persecution, especially from the government, this would force people to hide their views. People need the liberty to show their opinion because, if they are contained to where they cannot say anything, people in power will build unjust societies and suppress people. With the views of Mill, this would not be justified. The greatest goodness theory would not be true. People would not be happy living in a suppressed

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Rehnquist states that just because a person claims that he is only writing an opinion, does not mean that people are hurt any less than had they not noted it was an opinion. The opinion goes on to say that there is no need to define a protection of opinions in order to guarantee freedom of expression. Brennan begins his dissent by noting that he agrees with a number of the points made by Rehnquist, including the guidelines set regarding the protection of opinions. However, he disagrees with how Rehnquist judged the actual cased based on these rules.

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Thus, demonstrating how critical the right to speak is for commoners, who have a great amount of opinions in their mind that they are not allowed to say in an absolute monarchy. Voltaire’s statement played a large role in the democratic government of the 17th and 18th centuries due to how the freedom of speech was one of the most vital aspects in a democracy. The provision to speak one’s mind from a democratic government not only strengthens society and prevents revolts from the civilians, but it will also increase and spread of culture and ideas throughout the country. For example, Martin Luther’s decision to publicize his thoughts about

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By the freedom of opinion, cannot be meant the right of thinking merely; for of this right the greatest Tyrant cannot deprive his meanest slave; but it is freedom in the communication of sentiments [by] speech or through the press” (Voices of Freedom, Chapter

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Some of the smartest people this earth has ever known have been from the 19th century. Well, Mary Wollstonecraft was not the first person to person to fight for woman equal rights, but she is a person that had a sizable impact in her time. Woman have made vast progress from this day and age. Some of the most immense people to make a difference from 1790 to 1884 are Mary Wollstonecraft, Fredrick Engels, and John Mill. There are some why i believe that these historic figures were rational thinkers was because they always gave a reason behind what they believe in.

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The theory also discusses falsehoods and their place in the marketplace of ideas. The theory places falsehoods as a very important part of the marketplace, because falsehoods contribute to the integrity of the truths. The article then goes on to discuss the importance of Intellectual Freedom and Freedom of Speech in democracy. Oltmann states that Freedom of Speech is necessary to democracy because it allows the circulation of free thought and opinions that then lead to political involvement of Americans. The source then discusses the place that the library and IF

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Paine, Thomas, and Sidney Hook. Common Sense: The Rights of Man, and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine. New York: Penguin, 1984. Print. Annotated Bibliography Collins, Paul.

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Two of the most well respected philosophers of their time Kant and Mill share their views as different as they might be. Kant’s basis is categorical imperative. In the writings of Grounding for the Metaphysics of morals it is described as “act only according to the maxim whereby you can… will that it should become a universal law” (Kant, 30). The other main point that Kant makes in his agreement is that we should not treat people as means but as ends themselves (36). Mill has a different stance, he states his principle in Utilitarianism “Greatest Happiness Principle”.

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When studying philosophy, a student becomes very aware of the contradiction and different opinions of highly remarked philosophers. Many students become frustrated with the opposition and question the importance of the study all together. Others choose to indulge in these differences to further their understanding beyond what he/ she thought capable of beforehand. The obvious contradictions between Kant’s deontology, and Bentham’s and Mill’s utilitarianism is a perfect example of such occasion in philosophy.

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For humankind and society to advance, it is necessary for the people to have basic human rights. In the book, Fahrenheit 451, citizens in Phoenix are given little to no rights -- one of which are the rights of speech. Those who want to speak up in the city of Phoenix will be hunted down as criminals; compared to our modern society, freedom of speech is what shapes our community and society as a whole. Speech is what improves society, and let’s society thrive on the indifferences of the community. The community in Fahrenheit 451 is full of ignorance and oblivion.

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Introduction: John Stuart Mill essay on Consideration On representative Government, is an argument for representative government. The ideal form of government in Mill's opinion. One of the more notable ideas Mill is that the business of government representatives is not to make legislation. Instead Mill suggests that representative bodies such as parliaments and senates are best suited to be places of public debate on the various opinions held by the population and to act as watchdogs of the professionals who create and administer laws and policy.

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It was not until Mill’s late teens that he began to study Jeremy Bentham and his utilitarianism theory. “Reading Bentham satisfied Mill’s cravings for scientific precision and gave him a new way of looking at social intercourse” (Buchholz 97). Mill became so intrigued with Bentham that he decided to preach the Benthamite gospel in the Westminster Review, a publication started by his father and Jeremy Bentham. Mill’s views soon changed as he grew older. It is said that Mill had a mid-life crisis at the age of twenty because he took the Bentamite precision too far and actually forgot the ultimate goal of Utilitarianism in the first place, happiness.

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John Stuart Mill, at the very beginning of chapter 2 entitled “what is utilitarianism”. starts off by explaining to the readers what utility is, Utility is defined as pleasure itself, and the absence of pain. This leads us to another name for utility which is the greatest happiness principle. Mill claims that “actions are right in proportions as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness.” “By Happiness is intended pleasure and the absence of pain, by happiness, pain and the privation of pleasure”.

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