PO101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: John Stuart Mill, Harm Principle, Negative Liberty
Document Summary
John stuart mill in on liberty (1859) argues that greater freedom leads to greater happiness. Maximum possible freedom for the expression of ideas (even obviously false ones) The liberty of thought and ideas and the freedom to express them in speech and writing. The liberty to pursue one"s own tastes and pursuits (as long) As long as they don"t harm others they are allowed. Only those actions that harm the others should be prevents by public opinion or state. Are self-regarding actions always to be left unregulated. Or is the emergence of the surveillance state and the awesome powers it derives from information technology a new and pervasive threat to our basic freedoms. People relinquish their rights to the monarch/ultimate authority (doesnt need to be a monarch) in return for protection. People are essentially rational in their selfish pursuit of their own interest. The purpose of the government is to keep law and order.
