Those who have not taken the time to explore the wonderful world of
philosophy may consider it as having very little practical value or
benefit in the real world.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The word philosophy is derived from the Greek words "philo"
meaning love and "sophia" meaning wisdom. Therefore it is
the love of wisdom and the seeking of knowledge in understanding the
nature of the universe, man, and the human condition. What could be
more relevant?
How does philosophy contribute to personal development?
Studying philosophy
and the works of some of the greatest thinkers in the history of the
world is invaluable in helping us determine who we are and what we are
doing here. Contemplating what the great philosophers have found to be
meaningful and worthy assists us in establishing our own views on
life, our purpose, and our
values.
William Ralph Inge said: "The object of studying philosophy is
to know one's own mind, not other people's".
More than just a pursuit of knowledge, philosophy is also an
activity; one that teaches us to analyze, assess and reason. It is an
instrument for acquiring and honing critical thinking and problem
solving skills. Anyone pursuing a career in law is required to take
courses in philosophy for the purposes of cultivating logical and
methodical thinking.
If it were not for philosophy and logic, knowledge about ourselves
and the world we live in would be very limited.
Philosopher's Corner
Each month this section will feature a philosopher from a different
period in history and his contributions to Western thought. Enjoy the
information and allow it to expand
your thinking and viewpoint.
This Month's Philosopher
John Stuart
Mill 1806-1873
John Stuart Mill, a British philosopher, economist and moral/political theorist was born on
May 20, 1806 in Pentonville, then a suburb of London.
He was the eldest son of James Mill, a Scotsman, who after moving to London
became good friends with Jeremy Bentham and as part of a group the
'philosophical radicals' widely promoted and advocated utilitarianism.
In an effort to indoctrinate his son and make him a
'calculating machine,' James
taught him to read Greek at the age of 3 and Latin at 8.
By his early teens, John Stuart Mill had
read all the major Greek and Latin works and had an extensive overview of history.
He was also well versed in law,
psychology, economics, mathematics and logic. Unfortunately, at the age of 20, perhaps from undernourishment
of his emotions, the 'calculating machine' had a nervous breakdown. He began to reflect critically on
his own happiness and after being brought to tears by a book he was reading, and by renewing his interest in
poetry,
culture and the
arts, he started to recover. Realizing that he had not lost his capacity to feel,
Mill slowly found a new zest for life and a renewed enthusiasm for his work.
After his breakdown, Mill began to react against the intellectual influence of both his father and Jeremy Bentham.
His brand of utilitarianism is a refinement of both of their views. Like Bentham, Mill maintained that the guide
to moral action should be the maximization of pleasure and the minimization of pain. For Mill, however,
in his "Greatest Happiness Principle....actions are right in proportion 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 unhappiness, pain, and the privation of
pleasure."
Mill also identified two failings in Bentham's theory. First of all, in calculating relative amounts of pain
and pleasure, Bentham valued each unit of good or bad equally. He made no room for distinctions such
as the pain that is experienced from the death of a pet compared to the pain one might experience
in losing a close relative.
Secondly, he makes no distinction between higher and lower pleasures. Although he distinguishes
between pleasures in terms of their quantity, he makes no distinction in their
quality.
To Bentham, all that matters is the duration and intensity of the pleasures produced.
Conversely, for Mill,
cerebral pleasures such as those of thought, feeling and imagination deserve greater weight than those of body
and sense. He wrote that "it is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be
Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied." For Mill, the distinction between higher and lower pleasures
is absolutely necessary when taking utilitarian calculation into account.
Mill's system of utilitarianism was one of radical liberalism. He felt that people should be able to do what
they like, even if it jeopardizes their own happiness, as long as they
don't harm anyone else.
His core ethical philosophy is exemplified in "actions are right in proportion as they tend to
promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of
happiness" and in his
famous work On Liberty he writes that "the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised
over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to
others."
Towards the end of his life Mill wrote The Subjection of Women, a compelling appeal for
the equality of women. In it he compares the legal status of women to the status of slaves
and argues for equality in marriage and under the law. He points out that it is because
women have been subjected to male dominance for so long that they behave in certain
ways, not because they are naturally predisposed to such behaviors.
He declares that it is morally wrong for a man and woman to engage in a relationship in which only
one of them enjoys the freedom of choice.
The overall aim of John Stuart Mill's philosophy was to contribute to the progress
and understanding of human existence, well being and individual freedom. His views are
rooted in the works of the British empiricism of John
Locke, George Berkeley
and
David Hume, as well as the utilitarianism of Jeremy Bentham. While his work,
for the most part was not entirely original, he added new depth and perspective to the
philosophies.
Although Mill's influence has fluctuated over the years, he is generally recognized
as the most effective defender of the empiricist point of view. Likewise, his writings in
ethics and liberal social and political philosophy continue to be read and taught in universities throughout.