JOHN STUART MILL Flashcards
How are Mill and Tocqueville connected?
Tocqueville en Mill really about democracy.
Tocqueville especially about equality, Mill especially about liberty.
What are the two sides of modernity?
- Enlightenment
2. Romanticism
What is Enlightenment?
- Spinoza, Hume, Kant, philosophes
- Skepticism about tradition and religion: We started with Descartes, doubted
everything he knew and started from the start ‘I think therefore I am’. Skepticism
about the tradition known and religious ideas. - Human ratio the highest authority in scientific and moral matters: sapere aude (dare
to think). What humans think about themselves more important than what church
thinks, or what the ancient thought. What you self think, is the highest motto.
Modern thinkers about politics:
- Had really general and abstract principles: human rights, social contract, (popular)
sovereignty.
- This led to attempt to reform, radical reform (call for real parliaments, reform
government administration, idea of separation between public and private, reform
prison systems, more humane forms of punishment etc.). This came down to undoing
of ancient regime, and even to the revolutions (American, French, Russian). You see
radicalization of revolutions over time: american → french → russian.
- The French revolution is a real marker in european/political history.
What is Romanticism?
- Especially expressed in arts (beethoven, keats)
- Emotions/feelings, especially strong feelings: sublime (burke). The overwhelming
awe when you walk in wild natures (mountains, waterfall), impressed by what you
see, wildness, nature. This is an experience of the sublime. This is not only beautiful,
but also fearful. Nature is so big, it’s overwhelming. Keep nature as pure as possible. - Creativity, inspiration. Human being is seen as a creator. Machiavelli had these ideas
too, political ruler is a creator, had to establish something. Not only about finding
balance, order etc. Understanding politics as art and seeing it as an inspiration. - All human beings are equal with equal rights. However, in the romanticism the
uniqueness of human beings is underlined. Everyone own beauty and uniqueness,
authenticity, the historical. Politics should give you the freedom to be your own true
self. - One’s true self, autonomy, freedom, noble savage. In hobbes it was important to
escape state of nature to get survival, Locke to get comfortable life. Rousseau more
positive idea of state of nature. State of nature a place where you can live as a noble
savage with a happy and pleasant life, much better than in civilized society. idea that
state of nature is dangerous is evil is replaced by positive idea about nature.
What does politically romantism lead to?
: Reactionaries & Rebels
1. Reactionaries: people wanted to go back to before the French Revolution, back to
ancient regime and undo french revolution, power of throne and altar back again
(power of king and church (de Maistre, Herder (nationalism)). This disappeared
quickly
2. Rebels: those who wanted to stand up against modern enlightenment inspired
society, and who saw freedom in midst of abstract general principles. Rousseau,
anti-bourgeois (1968, rise of Green parties), Marx, children of 1968 where people
wanted to undo bourgeois society, criticized the establishment. Rebels still with us.
How did Mill combined enlightenment and romanticism ideas?
Jeremy Bentham was friend of the Mills, grandfather or main thinker of the school of utilitarianism.
At age of 20/21 psychological crisis. brain developed very far, but emotions not (he described
himself). After this he worked on the other half of himself as well (emotional side). Started
romantic affair with a woman → Harriet Taylor. She inspired him to develop other side of
him, the romantic side of not only thinking, but feeling. Also political. Inspired him to stand up
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for woman rights, political care for poor, and socialism. Taylor had radical ideas, and she
inspired Mill with her ideas.
What where Benham views on utilitarinaism?
- Big father. Idea of two sovereign masters: pain and pleasure. These drive us human
beings. that’s why we do things. guided by these masters. - Hedonistic calculus: we have to make the decision what gives us more pleasure.
Balancing pain and pleasure to see what’s the best choice. According to Bentham we
should constantly make this calculus. - Also do this on societal level, not only for yourself. Include the calculations what pain
or pleasure you cause to others. ‘Greatest happiness of greatest number’. The
overall calculation that counts is the greatest happiness for the greatest number
(common good). - act utilitarianism, where you calculate pain and pleasure ratio for every decision,
which is too much work, to → rule-utilitarianism. - Rule-utilitarianism: certain general rules/guidelines that you should follow to
have pleasure in the future. For example, do exercise and sports. Pain in the
short run, but pleasure in long ron (health). Eat healthy.
What were Mill views on Utilitarianism?
More nuanced utilitarianism view than Bentham. Bentham was criticized quickly of having
philosophy of swines/pigs, laying in mud enjoying the pleasures, but not giving you a really
decent human life.
Mill thought some pleasures are higher and better than others.
Mill positive about human beings developing themselves. Bentham wouldn’t say this.
How was mill Janus-faced?
Nuanced utilitarian. however, he was also a liberal.
Utilitarian
- Individual with preferences
- greatest happiness of the greatest number
- uniformity
- centralization
Liberal
- Individual with rights
- Primacy of the private
- Diversity
- Decentralization
He was a nuanced utilitarian and progressive liberal, that’s why he could combine these two.
How does mill view liberalism?
- Liberty according to Mill: ‘’pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do
not attempt to deprive others of theirs or impede their efforts to obtain it. ’’: a negative
perception of liberty. should be no barrier to do what you want, only barrier is limity of
the other. - Also had a higher idea. in favour of negative liberty, but also more positive ideal:
extra: humans aimed at self-development → individuality. human beings should
develop their own personal capacities. Everyone different, develop own qualities. - “The grand, leading principle, towards which every argument unfolded in these pages
directly converges, is the absolute and essential importance of human development
in its richest diversity.”(Humboldt): very romantic motto. Richest diversity of human
beings should be developed as good and far as possible.
