John Stuart Mill

By CochranB87

  • Born May 20, 1806

    John Stuart Mill was born on May 20, 1806 in Pentonville, Middlesex, England to a Harriet Barrow and James Mill, a Scottish philosopher, historian and economist. No doubt where James got a major influence to follow a similar path. He began learning Greek at age 3, Latin at age 8, along with majors works of English history and literature, Astronomy among other subjects. He proclaims in his own autobiography his love for education and how seriously he took it even at a young age.

  • "A System of Logic" is published in 1843

    Starting in 1826, Mill had a mental breakdown, an unfortunate product of his fathers rigorous and demanding education and training he desired for his son. However, his mentor, Jeremy Bentham, died in 1832, followed by his father in 1836, leading Mill to explore his own path. This led to his first published work "A System of Logic" where Mill argued laws were made through observation, testing and inductive reasoning. Mill, John Stuart. A System of Logic. 1843

  • "On Liberty" is published in 1859

    "On Liberty" was published which was perhaps Mill's greatest published work (and why I chose him). Essentially, he makes the argument for individual rights, and the limitations of government over society. He argued that government overreach was tyranny over societies and that individuals should exercise autonomy (all within limits). Mill, John Stuart. On liberty / by John Stuart Mill J.W. Parker and son London 1859

  • "Utilitarianism" is published in 1863

    Another major work by John Stuart Mill, "Utilitarianism" came down as more of a philosophical paper than his previous published works. In simplest terms, he states that, "that actions are right in the proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness" (Mill 1863). Mill, John Stuart. Utilitarianism. London, Parker, son, and Bourn, 1863

  • Died May 7, 1873

    John Stuart Mill died in Avignon, Vaucluse, France on May 7, 1873. His published works, champion for classic liberalism, employment with the East India Trading company, and his time in parliament are a testament to his legacy and why he is remembered as one of the greatest English Philosophers of his time, if not ALL time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7LTNIhxmjg