John Stuart Mill Being Human Analysis
Being Human, Distinctively Mill’s perspective on the human condition is one that I favor immensely opposed to Schopenhauer, because it displays an appreciation for what it means to be a human in its truest form. The fact that we are able to innately enjoy pleasures and reflect on the experience is unique and should be valued. Furthermore, we also are capable of enduring mental suffering and advancing through the struggle as a better being on the other side. Both of these situations effectively demonstrate the privilege we are granted by being human. In this paper I will present why Mill makes a strong argument for this case, and also contribute some of my own ideas to towards the concept. Mill presents the argument that it is definitely
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The fact that we have the capabilities of foresight and reflection is handled in different ways by each of these philosophers, as Schopenhauer considers it a curse and Mill considers it a blessing. These distinctly human characteristics were granted to us in order to deliberate issues such as these and thus ends up as a blessing even if one considers it a curse. One may argue that if we were ignorant to these abilities that we would be happier in the sense of just not knowing what is pleasurable and what is sufferable. I disagree with this claim much in the way that Mill does. My thoughts are that it is much better to be a genius that is lost in misery, but is capable of much more than that of a fool with very slight capabilities, than to be that fool and be extremely happy. In a more elaborate and descriptive sense, it is better to be a human who can experience both the pain and the happiness that comes from things such as imagination and intellect and moral feeling so much than to be that of an incompetent animal. This said animal may be perceived as happy, but they will never have the opportunity of seeing the truly wonderful things about the universe. A sense of self-awareness is the most human thing possibly described. The fact that we are aware of, and are able to contemplate things such as our origin and the origin of the universe is a quality that should be
The fact that we have the capabilities of foresight and reflection is handled in different ways by each of these philosophers, as Schopenhauer considers it a curse and Mill considers it a blessing. These distinctly human characteristics were granted to us in order to deliberate issues such as these and thus ends up as a blessing even if one considers it a curse. One may argue that if we were ignorant to these abilities that we would be happier in the sense of just not knowing what is pleasurable and what is sufferable. I disagree with this claim much in the way that Mill does. My thoughts are that it is much better to be a genius that is lost in misery, but is capable of much more than that of a fool with very slight capabilities, than to be that fool and be extremely happy. In a more elaborate and descriptive sense, it is better to be a human who can experience both the pain and the happiness that comes from things such as imagination and intellect and moral feeling so much than to be that of an incompetent animal. This said animal may be perceived as happy, but they will never have the opportunity of seeing the truly wonderful things about the universe. A sense of self-awareness is the most human thing possibly described. The fact that we are aware of, and are able to contemplate things such as our origin and the origin of the universe is a quality that should be