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Quotes of the Day for 20 May 2005 - John Stuart Mill

John Stuart Mill was born at London on this day in 1806 and almost immediately began his education. His father, a "radical utilitarian" and follower of Jeremy Bentham, started John reading classic Greek at age three. His first career was with the East India Company, serving in management positions until the company's dissolution in 1858. After that he served in Parliament. Throughout his adult life he published essays on logic, economics, and politics, making it easy to find quotes.

One person with a belief is equal to a force of ninety-nine who have only interests.

The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant.

The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error.

Solitude, in the sense of being often alone, is essential to any depth of meditation or of character; and solitude in the presence of natural beauty and grandeur, is the cradle of thought and aspirations which are not only good for the individual, but which society could ill do without.

There is no such thing as absolute certainty, but there is assurance sufficient for the purpose of human life.
     - All from John Stuart Mill, 1806 - 1873

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