Liberty and Protection of Society During a Pandemic: revisiting John Stuart Mill
Franklin G. Miller
Abstract
John Stuart Mill’s classic text, On Liberty, maps the scope and limits on individual freedom. His “harm principle”—that liberty can be legitimately restricted by government or society only to prevent harm to others—has had a great influence on contemporary public health ethics. This essay examines Mill’s philosophy of liberty as it pertains to public health interventions in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Particular applications include examination of face masks, lockdowns, and mandatory vaccination.
Topics & Concepts
MillHarmGovernment (linguistics)PandemicScope (computer science)Harm principlePublic healthPublic health interventionsLawPolitical scienceFace (sociological concept)SociologyLaw and economicsCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)PhilosophyHistoryMedicineSocial scienceProgramming languagePathologyArchaeologyLinguisticsDiseaseComputer scienceInfectious disease (medical specialty)NursingEthics in medical practice