Type of Document	Master's Thesis
Author	Miller, J. Joseph
Author's Email Address	jjmiller@vt.edu
URN	etd-2847102939721181
Title	Quality and Competence: An Analysis of the Role of Mill's Qualitative Hedonism on his Conception of Representative Democracy
Degree	Master of Arts
Department	Philosophy
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Christman, John P. White, Stephen K. Croskery, Patrick T. Committee Chair
Keywords	john stuart mill utilitarianism individual choice-making competence participation representative democracy
Date of Defense	1997-04-15
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract Traditionally, John Stuart Mill has been described as a transitional thinker who fails to fully understand the values he espouses. Critics contend that he cannot simultaneously espouse both utility maximization and the protection of individual choice-making as a non-trumpable value. Like his moral philosophy, Mill's political thought is also rejected for interspersing, seemingly at random, elements of utilitarianism with concerns about respecting individual choice-making. More recent attempts to bring Mill's commitment to utilitarianism into line with his respect for individual choice-making are not wholly successful. In this thesis, I offer an interpretation of Mill's moral philosophy which reconciles the tension between utility maximization and respect for individual choice-making as a non-trumpable value. In addition, I argue that my interpretation of Mill's moral philosophy also allows us to interpret his political thought.
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