“What is a Role Model”?

Perhaps a good candidate for best Victorian role model is John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)1 Fathered in London by James Mill, he learned the classics, history, and mathematics. One interesting aspect to note is that John Stuart Mill knew how to speak Greek, as a second language, at the age of three. This is funny because he writes, “the first intellectual operation in which arrived at any proficiency, was dissecting a bad argument, and finding in what part the fallacy lay”. 2It seems somewhat of a contradictory statement. Maybe it is. Personally, I find a lot of humor in his “dry” writing. I don’t know. Maybe that says something about my personality. That’s where John Stuart Mill comes in. I hated mathematics, but I found joy in the challenge of propositional calculus. I had a teacher who would spend much time outside of class going into deeper logic games and puzzles—a hippy professor from Chicago who believed in philosophy as a tool for doing well in other subjects of study like yoga. He held Buddhism in high regard, though he attended Catholic colleges. He also loved reptiles, metals and his family. Epistemological discussions about various viewpoints led us to discussions including why he was the head of the department and why others perceived him to be obnoxious. Dr. Daude-Laurents explored various viewpoints often noting that it was necessary to get as close to the truth as possible. But it was the good in him served him well as a role model today. He was a Mill fanatic, which quite possibly influenced me to become one as well. My old logic teacher often said, “Philosophy is the quintessential face-to-face discipline. How can it be taught effectively without that component”?

           It should also be noted that I owe a great deal to many other teachers, such as my ever so charming Classics professor. She was a delight, and admitted that she was a Buddhist. She also emphasized Mill. I guess perhaps that’s why I became drawn to Mill. His train of thought that has obviously somewhat resonated, if not materialized into the current age. She would often say that there were two things that gave us absolute knowledge, admitting our limitations of it and knowing that it’s the artists in us that create something of expressive form that makes us happy, whether it’s art, the rearing of a child or a caring relationship. From this much I have learned. What I find interesting about Mill is that a tremendous amount of tangible knowledge has been passed on to me this many years later.

            Mill is a great role model because of the vast moral knowledge that he’s past onto the ages, as well as his contributions to science. Some might argue that his scientific ideas have had ill effects. Perhaps they are right. But without Western medicine I think the progressive West, as we know it, would (obviously) be a totally different society. Most interesting to me is how he makes relevant points about the eras that effectively disrupt our notion of history. He writes, “Yet it is evident in itself, as any, as any amount of argument can make it, that ages are no more infallible than individuals—every age having held many opinions, now general, will be rejected by future ages, as it is that many, once general, are rejected by the present”.3 Mill’s philosophical endeavor in “On Liberty” is amongst the most practical viewpoints on oppression and morality ever written. I admire his over, say, Kant’s Categorical Imperative because it’s applicable. It’s not an allegorical impossibility that leaves you chasing your tail trying to satisfy a universal law with every action. I venture to say that even Kant couldn’t do that. It’s humanely impossible. We’re innately imperfect beings, which is why I admire Mill. He’s practical.

This brings me to my favorite proposition written by Mill in “On Liberty”, which refers to the no harm principle. Crudely stated, it means you can act with any maxim that you want, so long as it doesn’t harm any other individual. Take this one step further and compare them to those of Buddhism’s non-virtuous actions principles, which mean that your actions should seek to create good. These consist of stopping negative actions, but enhance the moral effect by emphasizing taking further step(s) to prevent committing them in the future. So it these, according to the Buddhist principles are more so righteous. We can see where Mill sets the fundamental groundwork by laddering down from these ideals, yet he remains harmless enough with his intents in that he doesn’t seek to hurt anyone. So, the freedom ideal that we hold dearly is still in tact.

               In On Liberty Mill writes that it [free thought] “comprises the inward domain of consciousness”.4 These are the basic principle of freedom that we know today. Further, they play a key role in our existence, and how it pertains to our sense of individual experiences of happiness within the societies in which we live. The concept of free thought intrigued Mill throughout his life. In On Liberty, his is a constructed principle that “requires liberty of tastes and pursuits”, which I can relate to because I like to eat and do whatever I feel like doing. I aim to avoid destroying a sentient being life, but sometimes I’m left with no other choice. I’m human. I’m not entirely a vegetarian by definition, nor do I want to be. Which is why I like that Mill’s ideals seek to protect societies in spite of others deeming their actions as “foolish, perverse, or wrong”. He adds, in summary, that no authority should justifiably intervene with those actions unless the no harm principle is violated. Yes, this is boring. But without this principle we have abuse of force, which is a big issue today. We’d all hate to see people being arrested for eating dinner with their families, or meditating before a test. Which is why it is important to note that John Stuart Mill didn’t single-handedly set these ideals into motion, but he furthered them through his knowledge obtained through studying of things India and Buddhism. Thepremises of Buddhism emphasize that material objects are not sources of happiness, but acts of generosity are.

Another example of Mill’s Buddhist influence as a Victorian role model can be seen within his abolitionist stance against slavery. In is response to THE EDITOR OF FRAZER”S MAGAZINE, he wrote about atrocities involved in the British slave trade. He wrote, “I am so far from seeing anything contemptible in this resolution, that, in my sober opinion, the persons who formed an executed it deserve to be those, not so deserving, in any given age, who have led noble lives according to their lights, and laid on mankind a permanent debt of gratitude”. Mill’s words are divisive, which contrasts with the basic Buddhist principles, yet his intentions are set out to create harmony, rather than disharmony, which hold up to the Buddhist principles rather nicely. The manner in which he approached confronting this difficult task was tactful and would likely, with all probability, not cause any further harm by questioning it in a news chronicle. Further, it’s notable that Mill is acting to further the amount of happiness, not diminish it. This is not the most innovative thing he did, just the most admirable from my perspective because he was on two sides of the coin, science and humanities. And he was furthering the Buddhism-influenced principles that his father obviously admired. His father spent a great portion of his life writing a history book about India. Perhaps this is Mill’s father’s way if influencing the way of Buddhism on his son. Some Buddhist beliefs include sheltering your children with love, education and enlightenment. In his autobiography Mill writes,

                    But he, with these burthens on him, planned, commenced, and completed, the History of India; and this in the                                                course of about ten years, a shorter time than has been occupied (even by writers who had no other employment)                                          in the production of almost any other historical work of equal bulk, and of anything approaching to the same                                               amount of reading and research. And to this is to be added, that during the whole period, a considerable part of                                               almost every day was employed in the instruction of his children. 6

      His philosophies were developed through empirical observations. However, regarding humanities, his thoughts brought insight to human conscientious of thought, happiness, conflict, science, and religion. Why, you ask, is he a so-called “hero” to me? I admire the guy. He was obviously genius enough to propose sensible solutions facing mankind and its power struggles during the Victorian era, ranging from science to art or from history to politics. He was all over the place. His science methods established a new mode of thinking for the modern era. Slight modifications to the ancient platform may have overemphasized Mill’s genius effect, but his writings definitely portray a clever individual—which is why he’s a role model in my opinion. His ability to solve problems in a logical manner would be an asset to the world.

http://www.loc.gov/rr/frdmages/wtc1.jpg

   Religious tensions are obviously impacting the globe. Mill’s objective rationale concerning the existence of God reasoned that he could not provide substantial evidence to support God’s existence; yet, he could not, by any rational argument that he could make, confirm the non-existence of a creator. He discusses the pros and cons of Christianity, but he ultimately reasons that it’s the size of the church, thus its power to oppress, that has become the real issue of concern. Mill subsequently writes about the “inflicting of evil” on those with different ideas. Almost comically, in accordance with his astute reasoning, Mill writes about the martyrdom of Socrates, “Socrates was put to death, but the Socratic method rose like the sun”. His agnostic viewpoint provides that, over time, mankind has never been able to solve the riddle of religion and, like Socrates, Mill’s methods rose like the sun and are strongly present today. Perhaps some of the most revealing aspects of Mill’s life are contained in his autobiography (1873) where he writes about everything that he remembers reading. Mill provides insightful accounts of his life that were largely influenced by his father who greatly wanted him to carry the proverbial Mill torch of utilitarianism into the future.

            In is autobiography Mill addressed the overbearing nature of his father. Mill also acknowledged the effectiveness of his father’s teachings and his gratefulness towards him for shaping his education. He claims that his father was constantly enforcing “no losing time principle”. 6 Thus Mill began to learn the Greek language at such an early age that he doesn’t recall when he began to learn it, though his father tell him that he started at the age of three. In the autobiography of John Stuart Mill, his writing recalls his memory of taking the role of the student and teacher, which reflects his character and foreshadows the innovative role model that he would later become. If there are no teachers, there would be no smart children….

That means no mensa games.

     In my opinion, John Stuart Mill was ahead of his time because of the vast amount of knowledge that he possessed. Some might argue that he is ahead of the current era. All one needs to do to see John Stuart Mill, the role model, is examine the era and ser the brilliance of a man who spent his entire life striving to make the world a better place—for everyone. The most interesting characteristics to me about John Stuart Mill are his compassion for the minority, though I don’t like all of his views. I think he was a little backwards, maybe even awkward. Perhaps, though, just like any so called “hero” there is mythical element involved. One can only do so much and be fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time. John Stuart Mill was bright enough, genius in fact, to know that it was his time. In the end, I think life is about the impact you make on helping other people, and teaching youth. I truly think that art and good friends are the key to happiness. John Stuart Mill’s artistic assimilation into many realms of our history makes him at least a considerable candidate for the best role model of the Victorian era.

Reviewer 1 ALL

Reviewer 2 also, see less “fluff” words.

Reviewer 4—mostly said the same thing as pink and the others.

Reviewer 3 Reviewer 5

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1 http://www.utilitarianism.com/millauto/

2 http://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/one.html

3 http://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/one.html

4http://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/one.html

6 ^{http://www.utilitarianism.com/ol/one.ml}