John Stuart Mill
2
5.7
- proper noun
- John Stuart Mill argued that freedom of expression is essential for societal progress.
Examples
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Even a fine spirit like John Stuart Mill was doomed to a large measure of sterility because he did not grasp the revolutionary dream that was rising in his time.
Academic text (2014) -
The philosopher John Stuart Mill is best known for his contributions to the theory of utilitarianism.
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In his writings, John Stuart Mill emphasized the importance of individual liberty and autonomy.
Synonyms
2
7.2
An English philosopher and economist known for promoting utilitarian ideas
Surface Forms
Morphology
John + Stuart + Mill
This item is a proper name composed of personal names and a common noun used as a surname; knowing the constituents only signals that this is a person's name, not the biographical information. A B1 learner who knows 'John', 'Stuart' and 'mill' would not be able to derive that the MWE refers to the specific 19th‑century English philosopher and economist, so the referential/biographical meaning is not compositionally predictable.
Etymology
John Stuart Mill was an English thinker who was trained by his father from a very young age, so imagine a boy surrounded by books and lessons. He became famous for 'utilitarianism' — the idea of the 'greatest happiness for the greatest number' — and for arguing for individual 'liberty', so his name now stands for ideas about freedom and the common good.