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John Stuart Mill Birth
John Stuart Mill is born in London, England. The son of philosopher James Mill, John Mill is viewed as a prodigy, learning Latin and Greek, and reading Plato at a young age. John Mill would become one of the preeminent philosophers of the 19th century. -
Mill publishes "A System of Logic"
Mill’s six volume “System of Logic” is published in 1843. Mill argues against the a priori nature of knowledge by stating human knowledge is entirely posteriori (Cobb 2016). Mill provides an inductive description of the nature of science which is a precursor to the Covering Law Model and logical positivism (MacLeod 2016). Mill would edit and revise A System of Logic eight times between 1843 – 1872. -
Mill's Scientific Method
In System of Logic, Mill formulates a structure of scientific inquiry based on “induction, ratiocination, and verification”. For Mill, the induction of laws based on observation is the critical first step in scientific discovery as the goal of science for him is the "discovery of causal laws" (Cobb 2016) -
Mill's 5 Methods of Causation in Experimentation
In System of Logic, Mill details 5 rules of causation which allow scientist to discard “causally irrelevant” phenomena in order to zero in on causes that should be further investigated (Cobb 2016). Mill’s theory is critiqued as weak in consideration of plurality of causes which his method would not be able to discern (Cobb 2016). -
Mill's Methods Video
Short video describing Mill's Methods of causation in experimentation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vOlnRzFxC -
Analysis of the Phenomena of the Human Mind
Mill updates and republishes his father's work in the field of psychology. The work is part of the associationist school of psychology that distinguishes between a priori and posteriori influences on human behavior (MacLeod 2016). Mill contends that as experience is the driving factor of human psychology, then we can change our psychology if our environment changes (Heydt). -
John Stuart Mill Death
John Stuart Mill dies in Avignon, France. Mill had written several seminal works including On Liberty and served as a member of parliament in the British House of Commons from 1865 to 1868.