As the title suggests the aim of Why Read Mill Today? is to show that Mill is a philosopher,  who has something to offer a contemporary audience. To do this the author, John Skorupski, provides an introduction to selected aspects Mill's philosophy; those which he takes to be most interesting and relevant for contemporary readers. The result, not surprisingly, is a book in which the main exegetical focus is on Mill's ethical, political and social thought. Given the tremendous influence which Mill's writings exerted on the development of utilitarianism and contemporary (social)liberalism, this focus is not only understandable; it might even be considered unavoidable. It does however mean that many significant aspects of Mill's philosophy, most notably his epistemology and his theory of logic are only briefly mentioned.

Chapter One introduces the historical and biographical setting for Mill's thinking,   outlines some of the distinctive features of Mill's epistemology, and shows how the modern, liberal concern with freedom forms the foundation not only of Mill's moral and political philosophy, but also of his theory of knowledge. Chapter Two outlines Mill's utilitarian views, focusing in particular on his (in)famous attempt to justify the greatest happiness principle. Skorupski also briefly discusses the question of whether Mill is a monist (hedonist) or a pluralist with regard to human ends. The distinctive feature of the chapter however, is Skorupski's insistence that the liberal ideal of self-development is at the centre of Mill's version of utilitarianism; a claim which may surprise many readers. Chapter Three deals with Mill's most celebrated essay; On Liberty. Skorupski outlines Mill's basic argument, discusses its immediate consequences and considers some of its practical applications.

Chapter Four and Five provide an extremely interesting discussion of Mill's thinking as a philosophical attempt to come to terms with what we might term "the modern condition": the heightened historical and reflective self-awareness brought about mainly by the world-changing events taking place immediately before or during Mill's lifetime: the political revolutions in America and France, the rise and fall of Napoleon, the European attempts at liberal constitutionalism, the beginning of the industrial revolution etc. In Chapter Four Skorupski argues that Mill's thinking is an attempt to provide a philosophical interpretation of this modern condition, and he shows that this way of thinking about Mill brings him into close contact with Hegel (and, not surprisingly, Marx). In Chapter Five Skorupski further develops his interpretation of Mill as a paradigmatically modern (or perhaps even late-modern) thinker, and argues that it is especially this aspect of his thinking, which his philosophy relevant for a contemporary audience.

Skorupski thus provides a clear, accessible and well-written introduction to Mill's social and political philosophy. In my eyes, however, the main virtue of the book, and the reason people should read it, is Skorupski's passionate interpretation of Mill as a (late-)modern thinker, whose continuing relevance for contemporary political, social and ethical discussions springs from his awareness of, and sensitive response to, the basic conditions of modern life.

© 2007 Carsten Fogh Nielsen

Carsten Fogh Nielsen, MA, post graduate student, University of Aarhus. Main interests: Kant, moral philosophy and the philosophy of popular culture.

Categories: Philosophical