Mill on Utilitarianism

by Roger Crisp

Mill was one of the most important British philosophers of the nineteenth century; his Utilitarianism is a pivotal work in ethical thought. This book, written specifically for students coming to Mill - and perhaps philosophy - for the first time, will be an ideal guide.
Mill on Utilitarianism introduces and
* Mill's life and the background of Utilitarianism
* the ideas and text of Utilitarianism
* the continuing importance of Mill's work to philosophy
This is the first book dedicated to Utilitarianism itself. Concisely written and engaging, it is perfect reading for those studying Mill or moral philosophy.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Ebooks

232 pages, Paperback

First published July 31, 1997

Reviews

[Richard Newton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good and relatively easy to understand analysis of Mill's utilitarianism. Utilitarianism, and specifically Mill's definition of it, is often criticised, rightly in my view, for a number of major faults - as typified by Williams analysis. This book does not change my view on utilitarianism, but it does show how Mill's argument is more complex and subtle than many people give him credit for. If you are interested in utilitarianism, you could do a lot worse than read this book.

[Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent material for reading alongside Mill's "Utilitarianism". Crisp helps parse Mill's views and also explores the ideas of many writers who have defended and attacked utilitarianism. In that sense, it can also be seen as a general exploration of the strengths and weaknesses of utilitarian theory. Crisp's book here has been much more insightful for my personal learning on the topic than reading Mill's original text itself.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a course on Mill. Very dense and rewarding.

Crisp's discussion on Mill's book is divided into several chapters, most of which deal with different aspects of Mill's arguments. However, this 'guide' is not simply a commentary on Utilitarianism. Instead, the scope of Crisp's book is much wider covering the historical context in which Utilitarianism was written, contemporary utilitarianism as well as an array of objections to it, and, finally, Mill's other moral and political work. In it, one can find original philosophical work of the highest calibre (the story of Haydn and the oyster) and impressively insightful analyses (was Mill a multi-level utilitarian?) which do justice to Mill's sophisticated outlook on moral questions.

The only downside is that the book is not as opinionated as I'd like. Crisp can come out some times as very apologetic, while other times very critical of Mill's philosophy. He doesn't spend much time defending various positions or making a definitive stand, giving the impression that Mill's book is full of ambiguities. That could well be the case, given the conflicting nature of Mill's own writings, nevertheless, I'm sure there are commentators who can convincingly tie all the pieces together. Nevertheless, this is still highly recommended for anyone who wishes to delve deeper into Mill's moral philosophy.

[Nat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the Hume guidebook, but not as good as the Meditations/Critique of Pure Reason guidebooks. Crisp gives a half-hearted defense of Mill against his critics.

[Louise Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid guide to Mill's 'Utilitarianism', with some sections discussing aspects of 'On Liberty' and 'The Subjection of Women'.

[Elliot de Vries · Rating 3 out of 5]

Serviceable. The summary of Mill's Utilitarianism is reasonably good, the brief discussions of On Liberty and The Subjection of Women less so.