more from John Stuart Mill

Single Idea 7220

[catalogued under 25. Social Practice / A. Freedoms / 5. Freedom of lifestyle]

Full Idea

All restraint, qua restraint, is an evil.

Clarification

'qua' means 'simply as'

Gist of Idea

Restraint for its own sake is an evil

Source

John Stuart Mill (On Liberty [1857], Ch.5)

Book Reference

Mill,John Stuart: 'Utilitarianism (including On Liberty etc)', ed/tr. Warnock,Mary [Fontana 1962], p.225


A Reaction

The ultimate justification for this is (presumably) utilitarian, but that would mean that there was nothing wrong with restraint if the person did not mind, or was not aware of the restraint. What is intrinsically wrong with restraint?