PHIL 115 Lecture Notes - Truism
Document Summary
Mills recognizes the old distinction of the private sphere and the public sphere, but adds his own twist of self regarding and other regarding actions. A self-regarding action is an action that directly, significantly and solely concerns the person who is committing to the action. Mills believes that the state should not have an impact on these self- regarding actions; ie. your taste in music. As it is only the actor"s business it should be nobody else"s. Other regarding actions are actions that impact other members of society. Critics of mills would state that there is no such thing as a self-regarding action as there is always a chain of individuals that is somehow inadvertently affected by your choice. For plato, it is more important that individuals act in a just way, then through their own happiness. All of mills" arguments for human rights and liberty rest on a utilitarian premise; that these issues are imperative for the common good.
