Utilitarianism
John Stuart Mill believed in the subjugation of individual interests for the sake of society as a whole, but only when necessary. Of course, determining when such subjugation is necessary is not at all simple, and this is the task in which Mill distinguished himself as a philosopher. In his treatise on moral philosophy, "Utilitarianism," Mill proposed the "greatest-happiness principle" a sort of pseudo-mathematical, economic equation to determine the desirability of a particular action. (Mill, 1863, p. 87). This principle holds that one must always act so as to produce the greatest aggregate happiness among all sentient beings, within reason.
Principles of Political Economy
Closely connected with Mill's Utilitarianism were his views on economics, especially political economy. In "Principles of Political Economy and Some of their Applications to Social Philosophy," Mill argued that producers should be able to operate without government interference, which, in modern terms, would associate him with Laissez-Faire economics. (Mill, 1848, p. 103). However, it is important to note that Mill only promoted Laissez-Faire economics to the extent that it cultivated personal development. He explained that personal development required not just not the freedom of the economic market, but also the political freedom of the individual.
Analysis
Harm
In promoting the happiness of all sentient beings, Mill, by extension, promoted the happiness of all individuals constituting that group of all. Essentially, Mill valued, very highly, individual happiness, or, personal development as it was referred to in Political Economy. He believed that the political freedom of the individual was an essential element of personal development. Here, the right of consumers to be warned of potentially harmful products would count as a type of "…political freedom of the individual."
Mill's Utilitarianism would prohibit manufacturer harm to non-human life. Mill's "greatest-happiness principle" specifically mentioned the happiness of "all sentient beings," not just human beings. Thus, Mill's Utilitarian philosophy would take consideration of the happiness of animals and plants. Animal and plant health would most certainly be a necessary element of this happiness.
Mill wrote at a time when the environmental consequences of Industrial Capitalism had not yet been fully discovered. Thus, Mill did not comment specifically on whether protection of the environment...
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