John Stuart Mill

Cohen-Almagor, Raphael

Abstract

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John Stuart Mill

Raphael Cohen-Almagor

Director, Middle East Study Group, University of Hull

April 22, 2009

ETHICAL COMMUNICATION: FIVE MORAL STANCES IN HUMAN DIALOGUE, Clifford G. Christians and John C. Merrill, eds., pp. 25-32, Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 2009

Abstract:
John Stuart Mill's concept of ethics was closely related to his firm belief in freedom. He was strictly a believer in each person bringing the greatest degree of happiness or good to the greatest number. This would be an individual act and in no way a forced action. One is free to act without coercion as long as no harm is brought to another person. Consequences must be considered carefully before acting and the act chosen must be the best of possible choices designed to bring about the most good. Mill is definitely a prime example of teleological ethics - an ethics of considering consequences, one which is notably different from Kant's concept of following a priori maxims or principles, regardless of consequences.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 6

Keywords: Mill, utilitarianism, Benthamism, liberty, individuality, freedom of expression, Truth Principle, incitement

JEL Classification: Z700

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Date posted: April 23, 2009

Suggested Citation

Cohen-Almagor, Raphael, John Stuart Mill (April 22, 2009). ETHICAL COMMUNICATION: FIVE MORAL STANCES IN HUMAN DIALOGUE, Clifford G. Christians and John C. Merrill, eds., pp. 25-32, Columbia, MO: University of Missouri Press, 2009. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1393314

Contact Information

Raphael Cohen-Almagor (Contact Author)

Director, Middle East Study Group, University of Hull ( email )

Cottingham Road
Hull, HU6 7RX
United Kingdom
0044-1482 465024 (Phone)
0044-1482-466208 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://hcc.haifa.ac.il/~rca