On the Concept of Care in J. S. Mill’s Liberal Utilitarianism
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15021608 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Donghye Kim (0000-0002-3282-9791, Underwood International College, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2024 |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 166-183 |
| Publication date | 2024-02-17 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The European Legacy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1084-8770 • E-ISSN: 1470-1316 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10848770.2023.2291943 |
| OpenAlex | W4389914950 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 33 |
In this article I propose the concept of care as an organizing principle of John Stuart Mill’s theory of liberal utilitarianism. While both critics and proponents of Mill’s theory see his commitment to character development as a distinct feature of his utilitarianism, the specific type of character he promotes has received scant attention. Through a close reading of Mill’s Collected Works, with an emphasis on Utilitarianism, I argue that a commitment to caring characters is central to making sense of Mill’s theory of utility and the tensions found between his individualistic commitment to the harm principle and the seemingly illiberal implications of his utilitarianism. I further argue that Mill’s concept of care, rather than being a type of sympathy, shows a close affinity to the concept of care developed in care ethics. I conclude with an observation of how Mill’s commitment to care helps explain his consistent support for Britain’s colonial endeavors, though in a direction different from conventional readings that connect his paternalistic account of human nature with the justification of colonial rule
Archaeology · Economics · Epistemology · Law and economics · Liberalism · Mill · Political science · Positive economics · Sociology · Utilitarianism · Emile Durkheim and Sociology · History · Law · Legal and Social Philosophy · Philosophy · Political Theory and Influence
Rights, Welfare, and Mill’s Moral Theory
Care ethics and “caring” organizations
Morals from Motives
The Ethics of Care and Empathy
Rights talk
A Millian Concept of Care
Liberalism and Empire
Reordering the World
Utilitarian Liberalism
Navigating by the North Star
Mill's Evolutionary Theory of Justice
Mill's Socialism Re-examined
Freedom to Care
Liberal Utilitarianism
John Stuart Mill
On Quantities and Qualities of Pleasure
No Better to Give than to Receive
A Tale of Two Indias
A Turn to Empire
John Stuart Mill on Colonies
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |