The Autobiography of John Stuart Mill · Theme
Utilitarianism and Moral Philosophy
How The Autobiography of John Stuart Mill develops Utilitarianism and Moral Philosophy.
The book traces Mill's adoption and later refinement of Bentham's utilitarian philosophy, exploring the principle of utility as a foundation for ethics, law, and social reform, while critiquing its purely rationalistic application.
Where it surfaces
- Childhood and Early Education (1806–1819)
The educational approach is grounded in utilitarian principles, with emphasis on logic, political economy, and the pursuit of useful knowledge.
- III
Mill recounts the founding of the Utilitarian Society, the adoption of the term 'Utilitarian,' and the debates surrounding Benthamic doctrines as presented by Charles Austin.
- Chapter IV
The chapter details the propagation of Benthamic/utilitarian ideas through James Mill's followers, emphasizing representative government and freedom of discussion as 'securities for good government.'
- Crisis in My Mental History: One Stage Onward
Mill's re-examination of the doctrine of circumstances and necessity, leading to his chapter on Liberty and Necessity in the System of Logic.
- VII
Publication of 'Utilitarianism' and its foundation in Mill's ethical thought.