Synopses & Reviews
John Stuart Mill's essay On Liberty, published in 1859, has had a powerful impact on philosophical and political debates ever since its first appearance. This volume of essays covers the whole range of problems raised in and by the essay, including the concept of liberty, the toleration of diversity, freedom of expression, the value of allowing 'experiments in living', the basis of individual liberty, multiculturalism and the claims of minority cultural groups. Mill's views have been fiercely contested, and they are at the centre of many contemporary debates. The essays are by leading scholars, who systematically and eloquently explore Mill's views from various perspectives. The volume will appeal to a wide range of readers including those interested in political philosophy and the history of ideas.
Review
"....This book brings together ten very different contributions, each of which illuminates the essay's continuing interest.... while several essays would be accessible and useful to undergraduate students, the collection as a whole is aimed primarily at researchers, or at least more advanced students.... for those with an adequate background, this collection forms a fine introduction to some central interpretive debates around On Liberty."
--Philosophy in Review, Ben Saunders, The University of StirlingSynopsis
This volume of essays covers the whole range of problems raised in and by Mill's On Liberty.
Table of Contents
Mill's On Liberty: Introduction C. L. Ten; 1. Mill's Case for Liberty Henry R. West; 2. Mill's liberal principles and freedom of expression David O. Brink; 3. Racism, blasphemy and free speech Jonathan Riley; 4. State neutrality and controversial values in On Liberty Gerald F. Gaus; 5. Rawls's critique of On Liberty Robert Amdur; 6. Mill on consensual domination Frank Lovett; 7. Autonomy, tradition, and the enforcement of morality Wendy Donner; 8. Mill and multiculturalism Jeremy Waldron; 9. Mill, liberty, and (genetic) 'Experiments in Living' Justine Burley; 10. John Stuart Mill, Ronald Dworkin and paternalism Robert Young.