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Cover of Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill

Utilitarianism

  • 112 pages · about 2 hours
  • First published 1861
  • 95 editions
  • Free to read

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1 About this book

"Because Utilitarianism is a work of enduring value, it is easy to forget that Mill meant for it to be a topical and relevant contribution to the moral debates of his time. In this edition of Mill's essay, Colin Heydt situates the work in its historical context by supplementing the text of the essay with appendices containing excerpts of related works by Mill's predecessors, Mill himself, and prominent critics of his views. The historical richness of this edition of Utilitarianism would surely have pleased Mill, and will surely benefit today's readers." Ben Eggleston, University of Kansas --.

Dale E. Miller, Old Dominion University --.

John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism is a philosophical defence of utilitarianism, a moral theory stating that right actions are those that tend to promote overall happiness. The essay first appeared as a series of articles published in Fraser's Magazine in 1861; the articles were collected and reprinted as a single book in 1863.

Good for readers who want: philosophy, politics, essays, and a short read.

  • Philosophy
  • Politics
  • Essays
  • Political science, philosophy
  • Political science
  • Business & economics
  • Economics
  • Utilitarianism

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3 About John Stuart Mill

1806–1873

John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 7 May 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, and politician. He was a paradigmatic philosopher of liberalism and has been described as "the most influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century" by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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