Mill's liberal autonomy features the core abilities of self-determination, critical reflection, and authenticity.'it is only the cultivation of individuality which produces, or can produce, well developed human beings' Mill's four essays, On Liberty, Utilitarianism, Considerations on Representative Government and The Subjection of Women examine the most central issues that face liberal democratic regimes - whether in the nineteenth century or the twenty-first. The two virtues are connected, for in Mill's theory one prime task of autonomy is to develop an individuality or identity that is authentic for each person. Mill is a liberal egalitarian, but he appreciates the Greeks and their virtue-ethical conception of a good human life as including essentially training in and habituation to these excellences.Īutonomy and individuality have pride of place in Mill's conception of human excellence.

The program of education in self-development aims to train human traits of reason, emotion, and sympathy as well as higher-order capacities of autonomy, individuality, sociality, and compassion. Mill's many discussions of the educational processes of development and self-development can be seen as setting out a plan for inculcating these mental and moral virtues. Mill's liberalism also champions democratic social and political institutions that have as one major goal to provide institutional support for life-long pursuits of these excellences. One sign of the link is Mill's advocacy of a kind of liberal education designed to develop the core intellectual and moral excellences in childhood. Mill's utilitarianism and liberalism are also strongly influenced by the philosophical tradition of virtue ethics and politics.

His theory of value is meshed with a liberal philosophy of education that is dedicated to encouraging a process of self-development. John Stuart Mill is committed to a utilitarian and liberal theory of human nature and the good.

On liberty utilitarianism