Happiness And Liberty —A Study Of Mill’s Utilitarian Thought

The relationship between utilitarianism and liberty in the thought system of British philosopher John Stuart Mill,the master of classical utilitarianism and classical liberalism,has been debated in the academic world.On the one hand,some scholars believe that Mill’s utilitarianism and liberty are contradictory,and his utilitarian principle allows the infringement of individual freedom and rights for the "greatest happiness of the greatest number",while his liberty principle emphasizes the inviolable freedom and rights of individuals.On the other hand,some scholars have defended the consistency of Mill’s thought by arguing that the utilitarian principle is the theoretical basis of the principle of freedom,and that the principle of freedom promotes individual happiness and social merit,and that the two are intrinsically linked.In order to analyze the inherent tension between the principle of utilitarianism and the principle of freedom in Mill’s thought,this paper will analyze and argue from the following four parts.The first part introduces the ideological-historical background of Mill’s philosophy,namely the rise of modern humanistic thinking and the development of the scientific revolution,as well as the influence of Bentham’s hedonism.The Renaissance,marked by humanistic thought,opposed the domination and oppression of theology and used normal human passions and sensual pleasures to confront the asceticism and false dogmas of the Middle Ages,opening up a new theme of philosophical thought;the modern scientific revolution,which strongly advocated empirical observation while valuing reason,provided a new weapon for philosophical thought;Bentham inherited the English empiricist tradition and established the basic framework of classical utilitarianism The second part elaborates on Mill’s philosophy of utilitarianism,which is based on the principles of the British empiricist tradition.The second part elaborates Mill’s utilitarianism with happiness as its core.First,Mill expands and enriches the concept of happiness on the basis of Bentham’s utilitarian theory.Mill introduces the quality of pleasure into happiness,distinguishes between higher and lower pleasures,and responds to the criticism that utilitarianism is a "philosophy of pigs".Second,Mill uses empirical observation and self-reflection to justify the moral standard of utilitarianism,emphasizing that the ultimate purpose of life should be "the greatest happiness of the greatest number".Finally,Mill explores how utilitarian principles guide people’s actions.While accepting the external binding force,Mill proposes an internal binding force,namely conscience.He argues that conscience can be fully brought into play through the cultivation of education and the influence of public opinion,and that the subjective inner emotion of conscience is the ultimate binding force of all morality.The third part of the analysis argues for Mill’s principle of freedom with happiness as the goal.Mill believed that improper social coercion would suppress the development of individual character and,in the long run,would not only hinder the realization of individual happiness but also be detrimental to the prosperity of society.Thus,he drew the line between the private and public spheres and proposed the principle of freedom,which states that society has no right to interfere with the behavior of individuals as long as they do not harm others.Mill’s concept of freedom can be interpreted mainly from two aspects: on the one hand,Mill believes that freedom of thought can not only help people know and understand the truth,but also enhance their own rational judgment through discussing the truth,so as to better promote the progress of society;on the other hand,Mill emphasizes that the freedom of human personality is a prerequisite for obtaining personal happiness and social development,and to achieve personal happiness and social progress,it is necessary to have a good understanding of individuality.On the other hand,Mill emphasizes that individual freedom is a prerequisite for personal happiness and social development,and that individual happiness and social progress require the protection of individual freedom.The fourth part analyzes the tension between the principle of utilitarianism and the principle of freedom in Mill’s thought.The contradiction between utilitarianism and liberalism is manifested in three main points: individual rights,supererogation,and interpersonal comparisons.This chapter attempts to sort out the relationship between Mill’s principle of freedom and the principle of utilitarianism from Mill’s own system of thought and in the light of the relevant discussions of contemporary utilitarianism.From Mill’s writings,it can be found that Mill regarded the principle of freedom as a sub-principle for solving moral practice problems in daily life,and the principle of utilitarianism as the ultimate standard of value,and the principle of utilitarianism appears as a referee only when the sub-principles conflict with each other.Thus,Mill’s utilitarian principle and the principle of freedom are united with each other.