Reviews

Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill

djewell14's review

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School

aspiringorakle's review

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2.0

the few insights mill has are drowned in the logical fallacies, falsities, and inconsistencies in a dead ethics

lukiut's review

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I shall neither rate, nor review this manifesto, other than saying it's quite a utopian way of thinking. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk.

yarnmaus's review against another edition

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informative medium-paced

4.0

katelynrosemary's review against another edition

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informative reflective slow-paced

tevreads's review

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5.0

Albeit subjective and heavily emotive in parts, these collected essays provide a pervading argument on the question of utilitarianism, the benefit of others.

lenamar's review against another edition

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informative reflective slow-paced

4.25

nohoperadio's review against another edition

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4.0

Read on Wikisource. I find Mill very enjoyable to read even though he’s not a particularly dazzling stylist because there’s so little ego in his writing. He addresses the reader as you imagine he would write to a friend: he wants to convince you, but feels no impulse to bully you into being convinced. You don’t realize how sadly rare this quality is in a philosopher until you encounter it. I never find myself doubting that the reasons he gives for his beliefs are the actual reasons he holds those beliefs; there’s never an attempt to make opposing views seem ridiculous or dishonest; he seems genuinely comfortable assuming his readership is roughly as intelligent as himself. It’s a beautiful thing. 

eb00kie's review against another edition

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reflective slow-paced

4.0

jbryson's review

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4.0

It should go without saying that this book is a must read for any student of philosophical ethics. Having said that, Mill's argument is significantly tautological. He uses several false comparisons in disputing objections to the utilitarianism, including an ad hominem attack on some of its detractors. One wonders if he is referring to Charles Dickens in these attacks.