Mill's Focus on Liberalism Rooted in Social Philosophy

John Stuart Mill's social philosophy underpins his discourse on liberalism, advocating for robust freedom of thought, conscience, and action. His emphasis on individuality highlights the importance of developing fundamental capacities for thought and feeling to attain true happiness, aligning more with virtue theory than rights theory. Mill's harm principle asserts that individual liberty should only be impeded to prevent harm to others, with an exception for free trade under fair conditions.