Abstract

This study is an attempt to account for the presence of discordant themes within the political and ethical writings of John Stuart Mill. It is argued that no existing account has adequately addressed the question of what possible function can be ascribed to conflict and contradiction within Mill's system of thought. It is argued that conflict and contradiction, are built into the structure of Mill's thought and reflect the author's 'manysidedness of mind,' a concept which Mill derives from his reading of Goethe. ;Mill's versatility, his 'manysidedness,' to some readers appears to evidence a lack of centre, equivocality, or a lack of enthusiasm for any cause; it is viewed as being reflective of a theoretical weakness within Mill's system of thought. On the contrary, it is argued, it is precisely Mill's willingness to permit the coexistence of multiple, conflicting perspectives in his writings which is the source of the full, grand richness of his thought. ;Manysidedness is a recurring theme within Mill's system of thought, which is of great value not only to Mill himself, but for understanding his thought as a whole. In the absence of a clear statement of purpose in respect to manysidedness from Mill, however, it is necessary to reconstruct the thought which appears in his writing. On the basis of such a reading, it is argued that Mill should be considered important for having discovered ideas that later thinkers have explored. Thus, I have shown that Mill may be seen as anticipating the recent debate on value pluralism; that Mill shows a pluralist-like appreciation for conflict that is at the same time critical of the value pluralist approach. This is riot to suggest, however, that Mill's thought directly anticipates current debates within liberal theory. Rather, it suggests that Mill's thought remains relevant over time because it may be combined with a plurality of other thinkers and ideas