James Mill

1 8.1

A Scottish philosopher, historian, and economist who promoted Bentham's utilitarianism and was the father of John Stuart Mill

proper noun

: James Mill

Historians often compare the works of James Mill with those of his son, John Stuart Mill.

Examples

The ideas of James Mill heavily influenced nineteenth-century British political thought.
James Mill was a crucial figure in the development of utilitarian philosophy.
James Mill was influential.
I admire James Mill.
James Mill was a crucial figure in the development of utilitarian philosophy.
Historians often compare the works of James Mill with those of his son, John Stuart Mill.
The ideas of James Mill heavily influenced nineteenth-century British political thought.

Surface Forms

James Mill main

Morphology

James + Mill

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical individual; knowing the lexical meanings of 'James' (a given name) and 'mill' (a factory or device) does not allow a learner to infer the person’s identity, dates, or roles. Proper names are referential rather than compositional, so their meanings are unpredictable from their parts and require prior knowledge.

Etymology

James Mill was a Scottish thinker who worked with Jeremy Bentham and helped spread the idea that people should act to 'help the greatest number'. He was the father of John Stuart Mill, so his name is well known in philosophy and history.