Immanuel Kant was more important than John Stuart Mill in the development of philosophy

I do feel much the underdog in this debate. However, I am confident in the influence that John Stuart Mill has had on modern philosophy. As such, I hope both my opponent and I, as well as all who read this debate, will find the content thought provoking and stimulating. Pro said “I’d like to thank kasmic for accepting the debate. I’ve debated him recently and thus know that this will be an enjoyable and stimulating debate. ” I have looked forward to this debate with much anticipation, and appreciate the kind words of my opponent. Pro said “I will focus on Kant this round and let Con present Mill in his case. ” In keeping with this format, I will present my case for John Stuart Mill and save the comparison to Immanuel Kant for the next round. Arguments: Importance: “the quality or state of being important : value or significance”(1) Development: “the act or process of growing or causing something to grow or become larger or more advanced” (2) As Pro stated “This debate is NOT about the soundness of the philosophers' views. Please do not start arguing about who was right or wrong unless it bears relevance to the debate--which it probably will not. ” In spirit of this, I will likely not go into detail on Mill’s works. Also, I apologize for the amount of my argument that will be quoted as there are so many great sources. 1: John Stuart Mills importance to the development of philosophy A: Introducing Mill “John Stuart Mill (1806–1873) was the most famous and influential British philosopher of the nineteenth century. He was one of the last systematic philosophers, making significant contributions in logic, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, and social theory. He was also an important public figure, articulating the liberal platform, pressing for various liberal reforms, and serving in Parliament. ”(3) (it should be noted that pro also references the Stanford Encyclopedia where I got the above quote. ) The main branches of philosophy, as I understand it, are epistemology, logic, metaphysics, Ethics, political philosophy, and social theory. All of which Mill is attributed for making “significant contributions. ” I will summarize a few of his works. B: “System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive. ” While “John Stuart Mill did not by any means invent logic…” this work is very important because of the “ clarity it brought to the subject. Mill defined just five, and only five, ways (known as 'Mill's Methods') of determining whether causes and effects are connected, and so produced a system which became an important source for all the experimental sciences. ”(4) C: Utilitarianism As I am sure my opponent is aware, Ethics is large branch of philosophy. He even references Kant’s impact in this field. John Stuart Mills contribution to Normative ethics is also of great value and significance. “This theory is an economic analysis that is human-centered (or anthropocentric) and has a moral foundation. Classical utilitarianism's two most influential contributors are Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. ”(5) “Utilitarianism is one of the most powerful and persuasive approaches to normative ethics in the history of philosophy. ”(6) D: Liberty John Stuart Mill is very well known for his work “On Liberty. ” This work “attempts to establish standards for the relationship between authority and liberty. ”(7) Perhaps the most influential concept in this work is the “Harm Principle. ”(8) This principle is widely applied in modern society. E: Women “Mill saw women's issues as important and began to write in favor of greater rights for women. With this, Mill can be considered among the earliest women's rights advocates. His book The Subjection of Women (1861, published 1869) is one of the earliest written on this subject by a male author. ”(9) Mill also promoted the work of Women philosophers. His wife, Harriet Taylor Mill, was a philosopher herself. “Taylor was attracted to Mill, who treated her as an intellectual equal and collaborated with her on many of the texts published under his name. ”(10) Concluding John Stuart Mills importance to the development of philosophy: “Viewed in historical context, both utilitarianism and liberalism have exerted considerable progressive influence on the scope of moral concern, the design of public institutions, the responsibilities of government, and the interests and rights of the governed. Mill did much to articulate the justification, content, and implications of utilitarian and liberal principles. ”(11) “Both traditions figure centrally in contemporary discussions of analytical ethical and political theory. Further progress in these traditions must take account of his contributions. ”(11) “His revival of formal logic inspired the developments that now date it. In the philosophy of science, his empiricism has for the most part stood the test of time. But his lasting influence has been in the areas of political and social philosophy. His defenses of utilitarianism and of liberty shaped the views of his own generation, and they continue to this day to inspire and to guide. ”(12) John Stuart Mills immense importance to the development of philosophy is evident. Sources: (1) . http://www.merriam-webster.com... (2) . http://www.merriam-webster.com... (3) . http://plato.stanford.edu... (4) . http://sqapo.com... (5) . http://en.wikipedia.org... (6) . http://plato.stanford.edu... (7) . http://en.wikipedia.org... (8) . http://plato.stanford.edu... (9) . http://en.wikipedia.org... (10) . http://en.wikipedia.org... (11) . http://plato.stanford.edu... (12) . http://plato.stanford.edu...