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Utilitarianism/On Liberty
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Glorious and I was sad when it ended.
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Continuing where Thus Spoke Zarathustra left off, Nietzsche's controversial work Beyond Good and Evil is one of the most influential philosophical texts of the 19th century and one of the most controversial works of ideology ever written. Attacking the notion of morality as nothing more than institutionalised weakness, Nietzsche criticises past philosophers for their unquestioning acceptance of moral precepts. Nietzsche tried to formulate what he called "the philosophy of the future".
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Not for the uninitiated!
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Often considered the foundation of political liberalism, John Locke's Two Treatises of Government was first published anonymously in 1689, in the wake of England's Glorious Revolution. In The First Treatise of Government, Locke refutes the idea of divine monarchy, while The Second Treatise of Government articulates Locke's philosophy of government, which he based upon his theories of natural rights and the social contract.
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Overall
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John Locke and his works - particularly An Essay Concerning Human Understanding - are regularly and rightly presented as foundations for the Age of Enlightenment. His primary epistemological message - that the mind at birth is a blank sheet waiting to be filled by the experiences of the senses - complemented his primary political message: that human beings are free and equal and have the right to envision, create and direct the governments that rule them and the societies within which they live.
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Outstanding narration
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not a good translation
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It can be said of very few books that the world was changed as a result of its publication - but this is certainly the case of Capital: A Critique of Political Economy by Karl Marx (1818-1883). Volume 1 appeared (in German) in 1867, and the two subsequent volumes appeared at later dates after the author's death - completed from extensive notes left by Marx himself.
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Aid to suicide
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Great book, just remember when it was written
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What is life? What is my place in it? What choices do these questions obligate me to make? More than a half-century after it burst upon the intellectual scene - with roots that extend to the mid-19th century - Existentialism's quest to answer these most fundamental questions of individual responsibility, morality, and personal freedom, life has continued to exert a profound attraction.
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Like being in an intro lecture to philosophy
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Summary
John Stuart Mill (1808-1873) was a torchbearer for liberal thought in the 19th century, including liberty of the individual and freedom of speech, and he championed women's suffrage in Parliament. A remarkable man - he learned Greek aged three and at eight had read Herodotus, Xenophon and Plato - he campaigned all his life for a just society. These two essays are his key works.
In Utilitarianism (published in 1863, four years after On Liberty), Mill observes that 'the principle of utility' equates to the 'greatest-happiness principle' and that this should be the basis of an ethical life. Mill expands on this view in five chapters and deals with difficulties and criticisms, including the balance of individual versus general happiness.
In On Liberty (published in 1859 and written with his wife, Harriet Taylor, who died a year earlier), Mill applied his already established views on utilitarianism to the society and the state. He discusses the necessary balances between authority and liberty; the individual must have freedom, but within a utilitarian (greatest-happiness principle) compass. Nevertheless, he considers the 'tyranny of the majority', and he acknowledges that in certain societies rule by command may benefit the majority. But he emphasises the fundamental importance of individual liberty, so long as it does not harm others. Though it has had its critics, On Liberty remains a key document and has a special resonance for world politics today.
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- Vincent
- 24-08-18
For deep thinkers
Better have your thinking cap on and keep away all distractions. This is deep but well worth it.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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- Ramanathan Nagarajan
- 01-08-17
excellent
brilliant vocabulary, excellent philosophy and ideas with clearly articulated explanation, great narration and pronunciation, thought provoking ideas
1 of 1 people found this review helpful