Political Science 1020E Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Atomism, John Stuart Mill, Paternalism
13 Oct 2016
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Individuals should never be forced to do something just for their own good. Some prominent answers include: self evident (declaration of independence) We have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness: custom and convention, rights protect interests that are sufficiently important to put others under a duty. Choose the system of rights that maximizes utility or happiness. This approach can justify a set of rights to liberty, security and property. Stephan: liberty is like fire: coercing people for their own benefit. Couldn"t we sometimes produce more happiness by intervening for a person"s own good. Conly"s argument for paternalism: liberty can be destructive, but also a key to one"s survival. This idea is crucial for understanding mill"s utilitarian liberal position. The permanent interests of man as a progressive being: a utilitarian theory of rights need not be a liberal theory, defender of paternalism. Human beings are capable of progress; they can benefit from experience.
