Stuart, John

The Basic Writings of John Stuart Mill: On Liberty, the Subjection of Women and Utilitarianism (Modern Library Classics)

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good way to get all three works
The great defender of individual liberty
A bit dry, but worth the effort!
A must read for anyone interested in political ideology...
Liberty: The Basics

The Basic Writings of John Stuart Mill: On Liberty, the Subjection of Women and Utilitarianism (Modern Library Classics)
John Stuart Mill
Manufacturer: Modern Library
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375759182
Release Date: 2002-05-14

Book Description

The writings of John Stuart Mill have become the cornerstone of political liberalism. Collected for the first time in this volume are Mill’s three seminal and most widely read works: On Liberty, The Subjection of Women, and Utilitarianism. A brilliant defense of individual rights versus the power of the state, On Liberty is essential reading for anyone interested in political thought and theory. As Bertrand Russell reflected, “On Liberty remains a classic . . . the present world would be better than it is, if [Mill’s] principles were more respected.”

This Modern Library Paperback Classics edition includes newly commissioned endnotes and commentary by Dale E. Miller, and an index.

Customer Reviews:

good way to get all three works.......2007-03-05

this isn't the highest quality paper, but it's an economical way to get three works. there is not much in the way of editorial content, but depending on your interests that may be fine.

The great defender of individual liberty.......2006-12-24

I read this book for a graduate class in Philosophy. Dr. Dale Miller who was the editor for this book was my professor. He is excellent and an expert on J. S. Mill. Recommended reading for anyone interested in philosophy, political science, and history.

John Stuart Mill, 1806-73, worked for the East India Co. helped run Colonial India from England. Minister of Parliament 1865-68 he served one term. Maiden speech was a disaster his second was great success. He was first MP to propose that women should be given the vote on equal footing with the men who could vote. He got 1/3 support, England gives franchise to women after U.S. He was a great Feminist, his essay "Subjection of Women" is written with great passion and prose. It was a brave position for him to take he was ridiculed for it. He favored democracy, and letting more men from lower classes the right to vote, but believed that people that are more educated should have more votes then less educated because they would make better decisions about what government should do. He would have wanted to extend education to the masses, so that all may have gotten 2-3 votes and so on. He didn't think it should be extended to where a small elite could carry the day on votes. The idea was that if the working class, and middle class, where divided on an issue, the people with more intelligence would have the power to tip the balance. Mill thought that people with more education would probably not only be better able to make political decisions, especially in terms of intellectually being able to see what would be best for the government to do, but that they would also be more concerned about the common good publicly then people in general. He was intensely educated by his father James. John could read Greek, and Latin at 6 yrs.; his Dad tutored him at home. Dad thought environment was everything. He was treated like an adult, never played games with kids; he had a very cerebral upbringing. He had a period of depression in his twenties, it changed his philosophy, and he recognized the importance of developing feelings along with the intellect, this is something that he stressed in his work. He read poetry to get out of depression; he became devoted to poetry and became a romantic. He fell in love with a married woman Harriet Taylor, was a platonic relationship, after her husband's death they married 3 years later and probably never consummated the marriage maybe due to Harriet having syphilis. His dedication to "On Liberty" is to her, very devoted to each other. Both buried together in Avignon France where they used to vacation.

Mill as a moral theorist subscribed to a theory we call Utilitarianism. It means---In some way morality is about the maximization of happiness. Whether actions are right or wrong depends on how happiness can be most effectively maximized. I say in some way, because there are allot of different kinds of Utilitarians. Allot of different ways of saying exactly how it is the maximization of happiness comes into morality. Therefore, happiness is clearly an important idea for Utilitarians. Mill has a hedonistic view of happiness, he thinks that happiness can be defined in terms of "pleasure in the absence of pain." What is distinctive about Mill in this area is that he believes that some kinds of pleasure are better than others are, and add more to a person's happiness than other kinds of pleasures. He believes in what he calls, "higher quality pleasures." These are pleasures, he says, that we get from the exercise of faculties that only human beings happen to have. So the intellect, imagination, the moral feelings, these are the sources of higher quality pleasures people use. His view seems to be that a certain quantity of intellectual pleasure just adds more to your happiness, and a given quantity of some lower pleasure like a kind we would share with the animals such as sensation, taste, sexual pleasure, etc. His "higher quality pleasures" in a way echo Aristotle's ethics. The idea of those things that make us distinctly human that are the real key to our happiness, that is in Mill also. It is not as limited to reason and intellect as Aristotle thinks. Mill recognizes the importance of the appreciation of beauty, aesthetic pleasure, and moral pleasure. He frankly owes a debt to Aristotle that he never properly acknowledges, never gives him proper credit.

"On Liberty" is Mill's is his most widely read and enduring work. It is an indispensable essay on political thought, which strenuously argues for individual liberty. He is defending what he calls the "liberty principle." It is a principle that guarantees individuals quite a bit of personal freedom. "That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant." These quoted sentences in John Stuart Mill's book, "On Liberty," embody the crux of his argument; that the power of the state must intrude as little as possible on the liberty of its citizenry. In essence, Mill was against using the power of the state through its lawmaking apparatus to compel citizens to conduct themselves in ways that society deems moral or appropriate. Mill thought that people had not only a right, but also a duty to develop their intellectual faculties, which is indispensable to maximize their happiness. He believed that society improved for all its citizens when they where left unfettered to the maximum extent possible, allowing them to use their imagination and intellect to improve themselves. Mill postulates a theory that societies usually institute laws based primarily on "personal preference" of its citizenry instead of established principles. This lack of clarity of opinion often leads to the government frequently interfering in the lives of its citizens unnecessarily. For Mill, there are very few times when the state can infringe on the personal liberty of others. Firstly, the state has the right to promulgate laws that prevent a person's actions from harming others. Secondly, the state must protect those citizens who are not mature enough to protect themselves, such as children. Thirdly, he exempts, "... backward states of society in which the race itself may be considered as in its nonage." In Mill's view, immature societies need a benevolent leader to rule them until they have developed to a point where they, "... have attained the capacity of being guided to their own improvement by conviction or persuasion ..." Mill said this third exemption did not apply to any of the countries in Europe. Mill believed that forced morality by the state on its citizen's liberties was destructive to their inward development, and could even lead to a violent reaction by them against the government.

There are different parts of his defense of this, different arguments that he gives. He has a long chapter on freedom of speech and press. He has some very specific reasons why he thinks those freedoms are important. Always in the background for Mill is the idea of development, and making it possible for more people to enjoy these higher quality pleasures. How do we help people develop their distinctly human faculties, in ways that will help them enjoy their higher quality pleasures? Because for him that is the way, we maximize the total amount of happiness that is enjoyed in the world, and that is the object of morality as far as he is concerned. Utilitarianists believe that maximizing happiness is ultimately, what morality is all about. That does not mean maximizing your own happiness that means maximizing the total amount of happiness that is enjoyed, not only by yourself but also by everybody else as well.

Roger Kimball, in his book "Experiments Against Reality" wrote, "On Liberty" was published in 1859, coincidentally the same year as "On the Origin of Species." Darwin's book has been credited--and blamed--for all manner of moral and religious mischief. But in the long run "On Liberty" may have effected an even greater revolution in sentiment.

A bit dry, but worth the effort!.......2005-01-19

I am interested in Mill's contributions to utilitarian philosophy. Utilitarianism holds that morals should be based upon those acts which promote the greatest good to the greatest number of people. Human actions which foster happiness are held to be right, while those which yield the converse are wrong. Mill defines happiness as intended pleasure with the absence of pain. Also, he maintains that intended pleasure and freedom from pain are the only things desirable as personal ends. Pleasure which employs one's higher faculties tends to give more satisfaction than baser pleasures, or mere sensations. Few humans would exchange their limited, fleeting pleasures for the fullest ration of the pleasures of the "lower" animals. Since a noble character is made happier by its nobleness, utilitarianism can only attain its end towards the multiplication of happiness through a general elevation of the nobleness of the character of the larger population.

Mill states that pleasures and pains have different values to the actor. Only the judgment honed by experience can assist us in assessing appropriate trade-offs in acquiring a particular pleasure at the cost of gaining a specific pain as well. This type of cost/benefit analysis advocated by utilitarians gives rise to the criticism that utilitarianism results in coldness and lack of sympathy towards others. However, Mill claims that the proof of the worth of utilitarianism, or any other moral system, lies in its ability to produce good results.

Although it is sometimes difficult to wade through the dryness of Mill's rhetoric, it is truly worth it for the philosophical insights contained. This book is a good survey of Mill's thoughts on utilitarian ethics and many other subjects of value.

A must read for anyone interested in political ideology..........2004-07-20

One of the main writers on liberty, J.S. Mill is often overlooked in introductory courses in Political Theory courses. I bought this books as a supplement in my class and it was a wonderful read that gave me an advantage. This book contains some of Mill's best work and the notes added by Schneewind give them an extra dimention and a few explanations that I am glad I had.

Liberty: The Basics.......2003-03-19

Not that Mill was ever obscure or inaccessible, but while Prof Schneewind's Introduction adds little value, the notes and annotations by Dale E Miller certainly renders this compendium transparent, even to folks like me who have been dumbed down by years of television debates as primary intellectual nourishment. He enlightens each of Mill's chapters with a short and easily assimilated introductory overview. Complementing this with text annotations, collected at the back of the book. The annotations appear to be very well selected, as they are never too numerous to make flipping to the back of the book tedious, yet they manage to illuminate every aspect or item I might have found even remotely confusing, ambiguous or otherwise incomprehensible in the modern idiom.

This text is an excellent starting point for reading JS Mill, and is very well suited to the armchair philosopher who wishes to get into the material with ease and without encumbrance. However, there may be too little in the annotations in terms of external references, or cross references to Mill's other writings, or background information to satisfy the more academically inclined.

Book Description

This volume includes the complete essay in five chapters: Introductory; Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion; Of Individuality, as One of the Elements of Well-being; Of the Limits to the Authority of Society over the Individual; and Applications. With a fine introduction by editor Alburey Castell, this edition also includes line numbers for easy reference, a list of principal dates in the life of John Stuart Mill, and a bibliography.

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THE time, it is to be hoped, is gone by when any defence would be necessary of the "liberty of the press" as one of the securities against corrupt or tyrannical government. No argument, we may suppose, can now be needed, against permitting a legislature or an executive, not identified in interest with the people, to prescribe opinions to them, and determine what doctrines or what arguments they shall be allowed to hear.

Customer Reviews:

A classic of current relevance.......2007-05-16

A work every 21st Century conservative should read and understand.

Amazing.......2007-03-08

I don't really like the fact that Mill wasn't religious- I don't believe you can have a just person who doesn't believe in a higher power, but the economics in On Liberty and the politics are amazing. It comes down to this: No one should be prevented from thinking or doing anything except that which harms others. In other words: government needs to get out of our bidness!

The great defender of individual liberty.......2006-12-24

John Stuart Mill, 1806-73, worked for the East India Co. helped run Colonial India from England. Minister of Parliament 1865-68 he served one term. Maiden speech was a disaster his second was great success. He was first MP to propose that women should be given the vote on equal footing with the men who could vote. He got 1/3 support, England gives franchise to women after U.S. He was a great Feminist, his essay "Subjection of Women" is written with great passion and prose. It was a brave position for him to take he was ridiculed for it. He favored democracy, and letting more men from lower classes the right to vote, but believed that people that are more educated should have more votes then less educated because they would make better decisions about what government should do. He would have wanted to extend education to the masses, so that all may have gotten 2-3 votes and so on. He didn't think it should be extended to where a small elite could carry the day on votes. The idea was that if the working class, and middle class, where divided on an issue, the people with more intelligence would have the power to tip the balance. Mill thought that people with more education would probably not only be better able to make political decisions, especially in terms of intellectually being able to see what would be best for the government to do, but that they would also be more concerned about the common good publicly then people in general. He was intensely educated by his father James. John could read Greek, and Latin at 6 yrs.; his Dad tutored him at home. Dad thought environment was everything. He was treated like an adult, never played games with kids; he had a very cerebral upbringing. He had a period of depression in his twenties, it changed his philosophy, and he recognized the importance of developing feelings along with the intellect, this is something that he stressed in his work. He read poetry to get out of depression; he became devoted to poetry and became a romantic. He fell in love with a married woman Harriet Taylor, was a platonic relationship, after her husband's death they married 3 years later and probably never consummated the marriage maybe due to his having syphilis. His dedication to "On Liberty" is to her, very devoted to each other. Both buried together in Avignon France where they used to vacation.

Mill as a moral theorist subscribed to a theory we call Utilitarianism. It means---In some way morality is about the maximization of happiness. Whether actions are right or wrong depends on how happiness can be most effectively maximized. I say in some way, because there are allot of different kinds of Utilitarians. Allot of different ways of saying exactly how it is the maximization of happiness comes into morality. Therefore, happiness is clearly an important idea for Utilitarians. Mill has a hedonistic view of happiness, he thinks that happiness can be defined in terms of "pleasure in the absence of pain." What is distinctive about Mill in this area is that he believes that some kinds of pleasure are better than others are, and add more to a person's happiness than other kinds of pleasures. He believes in what he calls, "higher quality pleasures." These are pleasures, he says, that we get from the exercise of faculties that only human beings happen to have. So the intellect, imagination, the moral feelings, these are the sources of higher quality pleasures people use. His view seems to be that a certain quantity of intellectual pleasure just adds more to your happiness, and a given quantity of some lower pleasure like a kind we would share with the animals such as sensation, taste, sexual pleasure, etc. His "higher quality pleasures" in a way echo Aristotle's ethics. The idea of those things that make us distinctly human that are the real key to our happiness, that is in Mill also. It is not as limited to reason and intellect as Aristotle thinks. Mill recognizes the importance of the appreciation of beauty, aesthetic pleasure, and moral pleasure. He frankly owes a debt to Aristotle that he never properly acknowledges, never gives him proper credit.

"On Liberty" is Mill's is his most widely read and enduring work. It is an indispensable essay on political thought, which strenuously argues for individual liberty. He is defending what he calls the "liberty principle." It is a principle that guarantees individuals quite a bit of personal freedom. "That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant." These quoted sentences in John Stuart Mill's book, "On Liberty," embody the crux of his argument; that the power of the state must intrude as little as possible on the liberty of its citizenry. In essence, Mill was against using the power of the state through its lawmaking apparatus to compel citizens to conduct themselves in ways that society deems moral or appropriate. Mill thought that people had not only a right, but also a duty to develop their intellectual faculties, which is indispensable to maximize their happiness. He believed that society improved for all its citizens when they where left unfettered to the maximum extent possible, allowing them to use their imagination and intellect to improve themselves. Mill postulates a theory that societies usually institute laws based primarily on "personal preference" of its citizenry instead of established principles. This lack of clarity of opinion often leads to the government frequently interfering in the lives of its citizens unnecessarily. For Mill, there are very few times when the state can infringe on the personal liberty of others. Firstly, the state has the right to promulgate laws that prevent a person's actions from harming others. Secondly, the state must protect those citizens who are not mature enough to protect themselves, such as children. Thirdly, he exempts, "... backward states of society in which the race itself may be considered as in its nonage." In Mill's view, immature societies need a benevolent leader to rule them until they have developed to a point where they, "... have attained the capacity of being guided to their own improvement by conviction or persuasion ..." Mill said this third exemption did not apply to any of the countries in Europe. Mill believed that forced morality by the state on its citizen's liberties was destructive to their inward development, and could even lead to a violent reaction by them against the government.

There are different parts of his defense of this, different arguments that he gives. He has a long chapter on freedom of speech and press. He has some very specific reasons why he thinks those freedoms are important. Always in the background for Mill is the idea of development, and making it possible for more people to enjoy these higher quality pleasures. How do we help people develop their distinctly human faculties, in ways that will help them enjoy their higher quality pleasures? Because for him that is the way, we maximize the total amount of happiness that is enjoyed in the world, and that is the object of morality as far as he is concerned. Utilitarianists believe that maximizing happiness is ultimately, what morality is all about. That does not mean maximizing your own happiness that means maximizing the total amount of happiness that is enjoyed, not only by yourself but also by everybody else as well.

Roger Kimball, in his book "Experiments Against Reality" wrote, "On Liberty" was published in 1859, coincidentally the same year as "On the Origin of Species." Darwin's book has been credited--and blamed--for all manner of moral and religious mischief. But in the long run "On Liberty" may have effected an even greater revolution in sentiment.

I read this book for a graduate class in Philosophy. Recommended reading for anyone interested in philosophy, political science, and history.

This Penguin Version is Excellent.......2006-07-21

America's defense department should take some of the billions spent on the stealth bomber or the B1 and spend it to make Arabic and Farsi translations of this book in the hundreds of thousands. We could pack the bomb bays of a squadron of stealth bombers with the translations and carpet the cities of Muslim countries with this treatise on freedom. This is The Book, folks. You cannot read this little book without it changing your life. It is an extended argument about freedom, about true morality, about freeing your mind, about untrammeling the possibility of peace and prosperity in the world. This is the book that lays out the path for treating other human beings with respect and opening the way toward progress in any and all societies. For the discussion of the "harm to others" principle alone, this book merits the world's attention and praise.

Perhaps the most famous aspect of Mill's extended argument about liberty is his discussion of the "tyranny of the majority." His argument grows from the long history of religious persecution suffered throughout Europe that led to book bans, bigotry, and even torture and burning at the stake for people who did not conform to the majority superstition, namely the dominant form of Christianity wherever one lived. Mill lived in a time when even the staid and relatively moderate views of the English Church forced people to conform their lives or face public humiliation and financial ruin, and sometimes lynching. The resulting dynamic was that free thought was thus discouraged and progress thwarted. Mill's point is that in such a psychological milieu, people are not mentally free to seek a better way. They are rather trammeled to superstition and the concomitant tyranny of the majority, the majority being emotionally dependent and mentally ham-strung by religion and religious fears and prejudices.

America today is witnessing the truth of this dynamic through the virulent and underhanded tactics of the fundamentalist X-tian political right who seek to thwart medical research and impose a legislated theocracy in parts of the country. The effort to put dark-age arguments about "intelligent design" on a scientific par with evolutionary theory is a perfect and alarming example. Mill's argument in On Liberty was prescient in demonstrating what can happen when people allow religion to influence political life. The brand of literalist religion we see in America has been the bane of societies throughout history and respresents a true pragmatic evil on a scale far worse than any imagined "Satanic" sinfulness that Christians associate with popular and secular humanism. Fundamentalist religion, especially in the forms of Christian and Muslim extremism, is a societal cancer when viewed through the lense of reason and of Mill's enlightened utilitarianism. No society that allows religion to make in-roads to politics can flourish. Proof is in the failed Middle East, where no country can manage to pull its people out of poverty and squalor inspite of sitting on the world's richest oil reserves. Mill's argument in this small book speaks volumes about why Muslim countries are doomed to failure and why the Christian right in America (the blood cousins of Islamic radicals) represent the biggest and most un-American evil in our country's history. If America represents freedom, there can be no room for the "ten commandments" in the county court house.

Highly recommended as a must read for everyone.

Liberal rights.......2006-04-12

A very definite view of legal rights, in that no interference from government should be permitted, save for when the actions of one harm others. This, of course, brings in questions about what constitutes 'harm', but all in all, a forceful argument for absolute free speech, unhampered by any law. I think this is interesting given the later restrictions placed on free speech. I was also interested to see how this book is rated on the high end of the 'difficult to read' scale, because I found Mill easy to follow and quite straightforward.

Chemistry and Life: An Introduction to General, Organic and Biological Chemistry (6th Edition)

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A very solid text!
biotecnologia

Chemistry and Life: An Introduction to General, Organic and Biological Chemistry (6th Edition)
John W. Hill , Stuart J. Baum , and Rhonda J. Scott-Ennis
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A very solid text!.......2003-08-28

I'm a computer guy working at a biotech and wanted to know more about what the guys in the coats are doing. This book is a very good introduction for those with a science bent.

I especially enjoyed reading about the Bohr model of the atom (which is what I learned in school) only to have it totally dissed after 3/4ths of a page as inadequate!

I don't know how well it works as a class room text (this is night-time reading for me) but for a enjoyable well written text on Biochemistry this is an excellent choice.

biotecnologia.......1999-02-19

please up go information of biotecnologi

On Liberty and Other Essays (Oxford World's Classics)

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The great defender of individual liberty
Liberty for all
Triumph of the individual
On "On Liberty..."
Liberal, Utilitarian and First Feminist. Essential reading.

On Liberty and Other Essays (Oxford World's Classics)
John Stuart Mill
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192833847

Book Description

Collected here in a single volume for the first time, On Liberty, Utilitarianism, Considerations on Representative Government, and The Subjection of Women show Mill applying his liberal utilitarian philosophy to a range of issues that remain vital today - issues of the nature of ethics, the scope and limits of individual liberty, the merits of and costs of democratic government, and the place of women in society. In his Introduction John Gray describes these essays as applications of Mill's doctrine of the Art of Life, as set out in A System of Logic. Using the resources of recent revisionist scholarship, he shows Mill's work to be far richer and subtler than traditional interpretations allow.

Customer Reviews:

The great defender of individual liberty.......2006-12-24

Liberty for all.......2005-09-12

It is surprising to me how many people assume that 'On Liberty' was written before or during the American Revolution - Mill was certainly influenced by the spirit of American liberty, which was variously romanticised and adapted in Britain and Europe during the nineteenth century. Published in 1859, 'On Liberty' is one of the primary political texts of the nineteenth century; perhaps only the writings of Marx had a similar impact, and of the two, in today's world, Mill's philosophy seems (please note that I only said 'seems') the one that is triumphant.

One of the interesting ideas behind 'On Liberty' is that this may in fact be more the inspiration of Harriet Taylor (later Mrs. J.S. Mill) than of Mill himself; Taylor wrote an essay on Toleration, most likely in 1832, but it remained unpublished until after her death. F.A. Hayek (free-market economist and philosopher) noticed this connection. Whether this was the direct inspiration or not, the principles are similar, and the Mills were rather united in their views about liberty.

'On Liberty' is more of an extended essay than a book - it isn't very long. It relates as a political piece to his general Utilitarianism and political reform ideology. A laissez faire capitalist in political economy, his writing has been described as 'improved Adam Smith' and 'popularised Ricardo'. Perhaps it is in part the brevity of 'On Liberty' that gives it an enduring quality.

There are five primary sections to the text. The introduction sets the stage philosophically and historically. He equates the histories of classical civilisations (Greece and Rome) with his contemporary England, stating that the struggle between liberty and authority is ever present and a primary feature of society. He does not hold with unbridled or unfettered democracy, either (contrary to some popular readings of his text) - he warns that the tyranny of the majority can be just as dangerous and damaging toward a society as any individual or oligarchic despotism. Mill looks for a liberty that permits individualism; thus, while democracy is an important feature for Mill, there must be a system of checks and balances that ensures individual liberties over and against this kind of system. All of these elements receive further development in subsequent sections.

The second section of the text is 'Of the Liberty of Thought and Discussion'. Freedom of speech and expression is an important aspect here. Mill presents a somewhat radical proposition that even should the government and the people be in complete agreement with regard to coercive action, it would still be an illegitimate power. This is an important consideration in today's world, as governments and people contemplate the curtailment of civil liberties in favour of increased security needs. The possibility of fallibility, according to Mill, makes the power illegitimate, and (again according to Mill) it doesn't matter if it affects many or only a few, people today or posterity. It is still wrong. Mill develops this argument largely by using the history of religious ideas and religious institutions, in addition to the political (since the two were so often inter-related).

The third section is perhaps the best known and most quoted, 'Of Individuality, as One of the Elements of Well-Being'. It is perhaps a natural consequence of Enlightenment thinking that individuality over communal and corporate identity would dominate. Our world today goes back and forth between individual and communal identities (nationality, regionality, employment, church affiliation, school affiliation, sports teams, etc.). Mill's ideas of individual are very modern, quite at home with the ideas of modern political and civil individuality, with all of the responsibilities.

Mill states, 'No one pretends that actions should be as free as opinions.' He recognises the increased limitations on individual liberty given that we do live in communal settings, but this does not hinder the idea of individuality and individual liberty, particularly as it pertains to thoughts and speech. Mill explores various ideas of personal identity and action (medieval, Calvinist, etc.) to come up with an idea of individuality that is rather modern; of course, this is political personhood that pre-dates the advent of psychology/psychoanalytic theory that will give rise to a lot more confusion for the role of identity and personhood in society.

The fourth primary section looks theoretically at the individual in community, 'Of the Limits to the Authority of Society Over the Individual'; the final section looks at specific applications. Mill discounts the idea of social contract while maintain that there is a mutual responsibility between individuals and community. Mill looks at the Temperance movements and laws as an example of bad laws (not only from the aspect of curtailment of liberty, but also for impractical aspects of enforcement); in similar examples, Mill looks at the role of society in regulating the life of the individual, calling on good government to always err on the side of the individual.

Mill puts it very directly -- Individuals are accountable only to themselves, unless their actions concern the interests of society at large. Few in the Western world would argue with this today; however, we still live in a world where 'thought police' are feared, and 'political correctness' is debated as appropriate or not with regard to individual liberties.

Mill wrote extensively beyond this text, in areas of philosophy (logic, religion, ethics). The particular text here includes other essays of interest: 'Utilitarianism', 'Considerations on Representative Government', and 'The Subjection of Women', and also has a useful bibliography and index. The essay on Utilitarianism is one of the more contentious works of Mill; the later two contain ideas well ahead of their time, and many parts can be seen at work in modern democracies.

This should probably be required reading in civics classes, if not in the pre-university years for students, then certainly in the early university years.

Triumph of the individual.......2005-01-12

This Oxford collection of four definitive essays by John Stuart Mill, arguably the most famous Victorian writer who could be called a philosopher, gives an excellent profile of a rigorous social reformer and political thinker. The subjects of these essays--liberty, utilitarianism, government, and women's rights--are interrelated to the extent that they reveal a man with a sharp sense of history and its impact on the methods and mores of contemporary society. Mill, after all, was of Charles Dickens's generation and therefore witnessed an era in which the British crown was inclined to manifest its power through tyranny in its efforts to maintain a costly worldwide empire.

Mill's basic concern is liberty, both social and civil. He identifies a difference between freedom and liberty--freedom is the state of being free, while liberty is the freedom that a government or governing body grants its people. Briefly a member of Parliament (the workings of which are described in great detail in "Representative Government") and heavily informed and influenced by Alexis de Tocqueville's "Democracy in America," Mill recognized that the most important (and perhaps the only proper) function of a government is to protect the liberties of its citizens. However, people generally get the form of government they deserve; if laws they allow to go unchecked become the tools of despotic powers, they have only their own ignorance or indolence to blame.

An enumeration of Mill's finer points may suffice as a summary of his ideas:

1. Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are essential rights of man. You don't have to accept as true what other people say, but let them say it because there's always the chance that they're right and you're wrong. Mill points out that even the Roman Catholic Church, most intolerant of religions (his words, not mine), allows a "devil's advocate" to offer repudiative evidence before it canonizes a new saint. He notes instances in which religious intolerance still rears its ugly head in the British Empire of his day.

2. Christianity does not have a monopoly on moral authority; literary history gives evidence of this.

3. Individuality should be fostered so that new ideas may flourish, but society, specifically the middle class, establishes the normative values that unfortunately tend to stifle individuality. You have an unlimited right to your opinion, but you are free to act only so far as you do not harm or molest others. Long before Orwell, Mill had the insight that institutional deprivation of liberty is effectively suppression of thought, for how can someone train himself to think independently when doing so could lead to persecution for heresy or treason?

4. State-sponsored education should restrict itself to teaching scientifically provable or reliably documented facts rather than push religious or political agenda. When or if polemical issues are raised, arguments for and against are to be presented as opinions so that students may draw their own conclusions.

5. The utilitarian principle states that actions that promote happiness (in its most obvious form, pleasure) are "right" and those that reduce happiness are "wrong"--in other words, utilitarianism is the opposite of puritanism. Consider how much better it is to be a dissatisfied human being than a satisfied pig, because the human has the potential for so much more happiness than the pig, whose breadth of experience is contained entirely between the trough and the slaughterhouse, could ever know.

6. Women deserve the same rights as men because the social and mental limitations attributed to women are for the most part a male-conceived artifice. Chivalry is a fallacy.

And so on. I'm not sure if it's correct to call Mill a libertarian in modern terms, but he was certainly concerned with the issues with which modern libertarians are concerned. Much of his discourse is relevant to today's world, even though he often draws upon the past for contrast in order to make his conclusions, the implication being that improvement comes with increased knowledge and experience. Anyone who is interested in nineteenth-century thought on democracy and individualism will find much to ponder in Mill's eloquence.

On "On Liberty...".......2004-05-15

Don't get me wrong. This book is quaint and it certainly has its merits. However, I was disappointed that the character on the cover isn't featured anywhere within. Who is the man with outsretched arms? Is he pleading for alms? Is he offering to pull someone out of a river? In fact, if you look closely he appears to be standing in a body of water which could support the latter theory. Who is he pulling from the river? Or is this a metaphor... do these essays figuratively pull one out of the river - the river of intellectual darkness? Perhaps not, which brings me back to my original point. Who is this man? Like all great philosophical questions... we may never know.

Liberal, Utilitarian and First Feminist. Essential reading........2004-03-31

JS Mill is rightfully so one of the most studied political theorists and philosophers. His radical ideas on women started a womens revolution during the Victorian era. His ideas about good government and freedom are applicable today, and obviously not being listened to in this neofascist age. His 'harm principle' for freedom remains one of the most enlightened theories out there, and it is with an open heart that I recommend his readings to anyone with an open mind, who is not afraid of change.

Average customer rating:

Poor French Textbook !!!
This is not the best book
Very good condition. Almost like new.
Very good condition. Almost like new.
Great!

Horizons (with Audio CD)
Joan H. Manley , Stuart Smith , John T. McMinn , and Marc A. Prst
Manufacturer: Heinle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Workbook/Lab Manual for Manley/Smith/McMinn/Prevost's Horizons, 3rd
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Workbook/Lab Manual for Manley/Smith/McMinn/Prevost's Horizons, 3rd
Text Audio CD (Stand Alone Version) for Horizons, 3rd

ASIN: 1413005349

Book Description

HORIZONS makes learning French easier through its step-by-step, skill building approach to the communicative classroom. Through interactive, varied activities and clear grammar explanations, students are able to communicate effectively in French while culturally connecting themselves to the Francophone world.

Customer Reviews:

Poor French Textbook !!! .......2005-09-11

I set out to learn some French on my own and I picked this book up because the publisher Heinle produces some fine language learning materials. This book,however, was not a good choice. The book strives to be innovative but ends up being a confusing mess. It starts out with French but no corresponding English translation. The reader must flip to the back of the chapter to get this information. I have seen some other French texts with this same approach. If I could start out reading French I would hardly need to take a course or buy a textbook in the first place. This book seems to be afraid of grammar. There are no grammar summaries that can be useful in studying the language.

I also don't like the modern viewpoint on langauge learning because "grammar" seems to be a dirty word. When a new text comes out in the preface it will almost surely say "the grammar has been streamlined in the new edition". If grammar gets anymore streamlined in some texts it will be nonexistent. Adult learners need grammar and a logically laid out text,and not this poor excuse for a text !! To get a solid foundation in any langauge you need to get as much grammar as you can get.

This is not the best book.......2005-02-18

I had to buy this book for class and I really, really don't like it. It is confusing in the way that it is organized. The professer for my 102 class hated it as well. He said that it left out a lot of critical information and confuses the reader. I agree. I find I learn a lot better with a couple vocabulary books and a grammar book.

Very good condition. Almost like new........2002-05-03

It is a very good choice for those who want to learn French.

Very good condition. Almost like new........2002-05-03

It is a very good choice for those who want to learn French.

Great!.......2000-09-14

These tapes are an excellent addtion to(and really a necessity for anyone who uses)the corresponding textbook, HORIZONS. They are fun and interesting in subjest matter. The only drawback to them is that they do not list the vocabulary words from the textbook, that the student might hear each word spoken individually.

The Exemplary Husband: A Biblical Perspective

Average customer rating:

men it's time for you to get over yourselves
Best of Genre
Very well done...
A Must Have for any Man
The Exemplary Husband

The Exemplary Husband: A Biblical Perspective
Stuart Scott
Manufacturer: Focus Publishing (MN)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Excellent Wife: A Biblical Perspective
The Excellent Wife Study Guide
The Exemplary Husband : A Biblical Perspective
Complete Husband
Becoming a Titus 2 Woman; A Bible Study with Martha Peace

ASIN: 1885904312

Customer Reviews:

men it's time for you to get over yourselves.......2007-06-23

I am seriously considering leaving the Christian faith thanks to books like this one. I will not make an idol out of my husband and am tired of being told by Christians that I as a full grown adult (woman) need to go to my husband for "permission", or allow him to always have his way. I will not particiate in a religion that expects this. I ask, do the biblical household codes really come from God or from Aristotle and the male ego. My husband is my best friend and partner in life. He has never told me what to do. We always work together in decision making and neither one of us would do anything that the other didn't approve of.
I resent being told that the only biblically appropriate way for me to use my will is to let my husband make all the decisions for me and that I am committing some sort of sin for being a full and equal person in my marriage!
I also resent any man who thinks that it's his duty to corrent his wife's sins. Isn't this a direct cause of spousal abuse?
I have no problem with a couple mutually helping each other to become closer to God.
To say that a husband is responsible for sanctifying his wife is idolary plan and simple. My husband cannot sactify me only Christ can.
Are we saying the Christ sanctifies the husband and the husband santifies the wife?
I repeat myself men get over yourselves you are not Christ and I want no part of any religion that expects me to see you as such!

Best of Genre.......2007-06-23

This is the best book of this genre, in my view. Well written, clear and Biblical. If I could only keep one book on being a Christian husband (and I have many), it would be this book.

Very well done..........2007-04-12

This book is excellent. Authored by Stuart Scott and the forward by John MacArthur. A couple of years ago I went to a conference where they focused one of the sessions on this book throughout the week. I will tell you that at that time I came back and begged forgiveness from my wife. Since that time I never actually read the book until now. It had some great reminders and also some insight that time did not permit at the conference.

The book is laid out in four sections:

1. A Husband's Recognitions: Foundational Truths for the Exemplary Husband

This section focuses on understanding God's sovereignty, sin, relationships and the husband's role. This really sets up the foundation for the husband and the man of God in the marriage role. Understanding who God is and who the man isn't.

2. A Husband's Responsibilities: Faithful Commitments of the Husband

This section focuses on worship, love, leadership, physical intimacy and
stewardship. I found this to be a section that deals with a subject that is often avoided: sexual intimacy. There were great reminders and also some great thoughts on the subject on the importance of sexual intimacy, but also the reminder that our marriages are not completely revolving around sexual intimacy. Sometimes, we as husbands, wish it were.

3. A Husband's Resolves: Fundamental Commitments of the Exemplary Husband

This section focuses on humility and service, sensitivity, helping wife with sin, communication and conflict resolution. This was a great section that lists out issues of those with pride and also shows you the aspects of a humble person. I really enjoyed this section as it showed me some things I really need to work on with pride and communication. Very practical and easy to follow.

4. A Husband's Regrets: Fatal Sins to the Exemplary Husband

This section deals with anger, axiety, fear and lust. It completely helps
the husband "nip these problems in the bud" and deal with them biblically.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend this book to any and all husbands and also for those who are engaged as well. Very biblical book that focuses the attention on our calling from a biblical standpoint instead of some of the misconceptions of the secular viewpoint of what the Bible calls the man to be. The author changes the thought of the man being a dictator to the man being the godly leader who submits to Christ and readies his wife for eternity

A Must Have for any Man.......2007-03-08

If you're looking for a practical, applicable book on what a man of God looks like, how he thinks and works, all based on scripture rather than some man's ideas... get this book. Very helpful foundation of Christian beliefs as well as daily living examples and ideas to put your faith into daily life! I wish I'd had this book as a single teen, during pre-marriage counseling, as a new husband and as a new father.

The Exemplary Husband.......2006-08-13

This is a fantastic book for all husband so they can follow Christ example of how He loved the Church and how He gave His life for her. This book teaches husbands their God given role on how to love thier wife to the obedience of Christ.

Software Factories: Assembling Applications with Patterns, Models, Frameworks, and Tools

Average customer rating:

Exceptional reasoning on software construction
Factories are the future
Mindnumbing and Boring Beyond Belief
Good idea... biased book
detailed breakdown of product line engineering

Software Factories: Assembling Applications with Patterns, Models, Frameworks, and Tools
Jack Greenfield , Keith Short , Steve Cook , and Stuart Kent
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Domain-Driven Design: Tackling Complexity in the Heart of Software
Framework Design Guidelines: Conventions, Idioms, and Patterns for Reusable .NET Libraries (Microsoft .NET Development Series)
Code Generation in Microsoft .NET
Refactoring to Patterns (The Addison-Wesley Signature Series)
Software Estimation: Demystifying the Black Art (Best Practices (Microsoft))

ASIN: 0471202843

Book Description

The architects of the Software Factories method provide a detailed look at this faster, less expensive, and more reliable approach to application development. Software Factories significantly increase the level of automation in application development at medium to large companies, applying the time tested pattern of using visual languages to enable rapid assembly and configuration of framework based components.Unlike other approaches to Model Driven Development (MDD), such as Model Driven Architecture (MDA) from the Object Management Group (OMG), Software Factories do not use the Unified Modeling Language (UML), a general purpose modeling language designed for models used as documentation. They go beyond models as documentation, using models based on highly tuned Domain Specific Languages (DSLs) and the Extensible Markup Language (XML) as source artifacts, to capture life cycle metadata, and to support high fidelity model transformation, code generation and other forms of automation.

Building business applications is currently an extremely labor-intensive process that relies on a limited pool of highly talented developers. As global demand for software exceeds the capacity of this labor pool, current software development methods will be replaced by automated methods, meaning cheaper, faster, and more reliable application development. Wiley Computer Publishing has teamed with industry experts Jack Greenfield and Keith Short, both architects in the Enterprise Frameworks and Tools group at Microsoft, and leading authorities on Model Driven Development (MDD), to help technical professionals understand how business application development is changing. With two chapters on Domain Specific Language (DSL) development by contributors Steve Cook and Stuart Kent, they take an in-depth look at challenges facing developers using current methods and practices, and critical innovations that can help with these challenges, such as Pattern Automation, Generative Programming, Software Product Lines, Aspect Oriented Programming (AOP), Component Based Development (CBD), Service Oriented Architectures (SOA), Service Orchestration and Web Service Integration. They then propose the Software Factories method, which has the potential to significantly change software development practice, by reducing the cost of building reusable assets, such as patterns, languages, frameworks and tools, for specific problem domains, and then applying them to accelerate the assembly of applications in those domains.

After introducing Software Factories, the book describes these key enabling technologies in depth, and shows how they can be integrated and applied to support a form of Rapid Application Development (RAD). It then provides a detailed example of a working Software Factory and answers Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Readers will gain a better understanding of these technologies, and will learn how to apply them to implement Software Factories within their own organizations.

Customer Reviews:

Exceptional reasoning on software construction.......2007-01-10

Wow! I bought this book a long time ago and it lived on my "bibliophile" stack of bought but unread gems. It's a stunning book if you seek to understand the decomposition of complexity in modern software applications and the complex deployment architectures they work in. My only concern is the book is not an engineering book - there are no mathematical models of scale and performance for distributed decompositions. It has a excellent description of aspect oriented programming which I learned from. The authors could also benefit if they discovered the ideas in Carliss Baldwin's superlative "Design Rules" book and brought those ideas into their own discussion of the software construction domain. This is a WONDERFUL book for enterprise architects.

Factories are the future.......2006-07-08

This book provided insightful coverage of what I think is a fascinating topic. THe author organizes the material in a logical manner making it easy to transition from one topic to another. I would have liked more illustrations, but what was supplied was enough for me to understand everything. Very recommended!

Mindnumbing and Boring Beyond Belief.......2006-04-30

With four authors the writing is a bit varied toward the middle to the end, but overall this book is just plain boring; I find this to be a fascinating subject and even I was bored. Go figure.

My main gripes about this book (boredom aside) are:

1) The coverage of DSL's (domain specific language): the authors repeatedly state that the cost of dsl developement can be prohibitive. I dispute this arugument as languages such as ocaml make the implementation of arbitrary languages realatively straight forward to people with the know how.

2) They claim domain specific languages are more powerful than general purpose languages. Their concept of 'power' seems to be skewed toward some weird metric I'm not familiar with.

3) The Microsoft bias is just annoying. Doubly annoying because if anything happens in this space it will be from the open source crowd, imho.

4) There's alot of repetition; every other page the authors are remaking the case for increasing abstraction in developement tools because 'compilers increase abstraction from assembler'. Okay, I got it the first time, you don't have to repeat it fifty times.

I think it's inevitable that something like software factories will emerge in time. This book gives an overview of the authors vision of where things are going. But they're academics writeing to an academic crowd and that's how the book reads.

Good idea... biased book.......2006-03-02

First, the Software Factories concept is great in some points while it combines model driven design and domain specific languages. If it is a real future for software development you have to read and take your conclusions.

But..this book is too Microsoft biased. As written by a MSFT emplyee this is kind of expected but the fact is that the guy makes everything to say C#/.Net is the future of Java. This includes saying that JIT compilation was first introduced by .Net, that JavaBeans are a convention that are evolved in C# by delegates and properties and lots of other tries to make people believe that .Net is an evolution of the Java platform. I think this really compromises the book and would be much, much better if it just used C# and forgot all comparisson.

I'd suggest that people intersted in MDA, DSL and new trends read this book but just skip all the Java bashing.

detailed breakdown of product line engineering.......2005-12-19

This is an awesome book for an overview of the software development industry practices. It includes a detailed breakdown of product line engineering, as well as a ton of other great information.

VSTS 2005 missed the mark on Software Architecting Tools, and only includes System Architecting tools. With my own MSDN subscription I opted for the Developer version instead of the Architect version because of this. Microsoft is banking on the Software Architecture Tools of Domain Specific Languages (DSL) instead of UML and Software Factories (which Product Line Engineering is the heart of).

This is great except for the fact that to use it properly is going to cause a huge learning curve. Not so much with just DSL, but in applying the industry standards that exist in the architecture world to this new way of architecting. It is going to be hard to move software factories into most development communities. It will be great for engineering firms that take 3 to 5 years between releases, but in the type of environment that needs to consider time to market, software factories are going to be difficult to sell.

If you get this book, I suggest not getting to carried away with the software factory part of it. Software Factory information only takes up about 20% of the book. The rest is great material.

The Cambridge Companion to Mill (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy)

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The Cambridge Companion to Mill (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy)

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Cambridge Companion to Locke (Cambridge Companions to Philosophy)
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ASIN: 0521422116

Book Description

John Stuart Mill was one of the greatest thinkers of the nineteenth century. His impact on modern culture and thought has been immense, and his continuing importance for contemporary philosophy and social thought is widely recognized. This companion furnishes the reader with a systematic and up-to-date account of the many facets of Mill's thought and influence. New readers will find this the most convenient and accessible guide to Mill currently available. Advanced students and specialists will find a conspectus of recent developments in the interpretation of Mill.

Average customer rating:

Confirm Edition
Definitive Statement of one of Ethics' cfassic positions
First Rate, Clear Introduction To J.S. Mill's Utilitarianism
Brilliant Philosophy, Painful Reading
For its price, a good find

Utilitarianism
John Stuart Mill
Manufacturer: Hackett Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Five Dialogues
On Liberty (Penguin Classics)

ASIN: 087220605X

Book Description

This expanded edition of John Stuart Mill's Utilitarianism includes the text of his 1868 speech to the British House of Commons defending the use of capital punishment in cases of aggravated murder. The speech is significant both because its topic remains timely and because its arguments illustrate the applicability of the principle of utility to questions of large-scale social policy.

Download Description

We are continually informed that Utility is an uncertain standard, which every different person interprets differently, and that there is no safety but in the immutable, ineffaceable, and unmistakable dictates of justice, which carry their evidence in themselves, and are independent of the fluctuations of opinion. One would suppose from this that on questions of justice there could be no controversy; that if we take that for our rule, its application to any given case could leave us in as little doubt as a mathematical demonstration.

Customer Reviews:

Confirm Edition.......2006-09-07

Many of the posted reviews refer to a different version of the text (i.e. Crisp vice Sher)

Sher's version is an inexpensive and accessible (good font size and binding) edition of this classic. It contains the 3 essays (unabridged) use to construct Utilitarianism as well as a speech given by Mill while serving as a British MP in 1868 on capital punishment. Readers should note that aside from a short introduction by George Sher, this edition does not contain any additional analysis. Readers looking for a more detailed discussion will need to look elsewhere. Judging from some of the other reviews it sounds as if Crisp's version may be worthwhile.

Definitive Statement of one of Ethics' cfassic positions.......2006-02-23

'Utilitarianism' by 19th Century English social philosopher, John Stuart Mill is the classic statement of a theory of ethics which is bases its argument primarily on the question of 'What is Good' instead of questions of obligation on which many other classic theories are based.

Today, Mill's theory and Utilitarianism in general fall under the shadow of an equally famous work by English philosopher, G. E. Moore, the great analytical work 'Principia Ethica'.

Utilitarianism is based on determining what is good by what provides the greatest pleasure for the greatest number of people. All by itself, this theory leaves itself open to all sorts of difficult questions about whether great good for a large number of people is worth the suffering of a single individual and all sorts of variations on this theme.

Moore's argument is simply that these problems simply point up the fact that what is moral cannot be reduced to statements of fact, such as the amount of pleasure received by a number of people.

Oddly enough, Moore did not kill Utilitarianism. That is why Mill's work is still studied today. Unlike scientific theories, philosophical theories, being different ways of looking at the world, never entirely loose their insights, even some of the most absurd sounding notions such as Bishop Berkeley's solipsism.

Like Kant's short 'Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals', the greatest virtue of this book is that it is a classic statement of an important position by it's most famous proponent in a relatively short work.

It is not easy reading, but it's length means one can read and analyze it within the course of a week, which is why professors still assign it.

A very important work.

First Rate, Clear Introduction To J.S. Mill's Utilitarianism.......2005-02-22

Roger Crisp's introduction to Utilitarianism by J.S. Mill is hands down the best review-mini-course available on Mill and his thought. This book is easy to read and follow, especially for a philosophical text. If you are a student who needs to understand Utilitarianism, look no further - this is your book. If you are teacher, this introduction provides an excellent breakdown of Mill's arguments that can be shown to students.

The book includes 1) an editor's introduction - which is excellent - 2) an analysis of Utilitarianism 3) the text of the original essay itself - which is actually just 58 pages - and 4) extensive notes. By reading this book from beginning to end, you will gain a good understanding of Utilitarianism - as presented by Mill - in a very brief period of time.

The most difficult part of the book to read is Mill's essay, but even this is accessible, particularly when compared with other philosophical works.

Brilliant Philosophy, Painful Reading.......2003-07-08

If it was not for the fact that this book was assigned for the course, I would have thrown it onto the wall in utter frustration for the periodic-style prose in which it was written. Yet in those moments of painful reading I never let my intellect be neglectful of the realization that what lay before me belongs to the highest canon of ethical philosophizing. Mill's ornate style of writing was appropriate for his time, but to the modern reader it sometimes takes several readings to understand a difficult passage.

I agree with the reviewer who noted that Chapter IV, unlike the rest of the book, is singularly almost unintelligible, not only for its long paragraphs, but also for its rambling diversions. Nevertheless, Mill's Utilitarianism should be a required reading for anyone with pretension for interests in issues of morality and social policy.

For its price, a good find.......2003-03-05

Now that Amazon has changed the product description and recognized that it is soft cover, I can, perhaps, give a decent review.

The text is, as are all Mill's writings, quite good. Regardless as to your agreement or disagreement, it cannot be argued that Mill does not present his points clearly, logically, and understandably. The editor's introduction is nice, though short. It is also nice that Mill's speech regarding capitial punishment was included as an appendix.

The actual binding is rather flimsy, but for this low price, I'll not complain too loudly.

Average customer rating:

Great Supplement to Understand Torts
Excellent book for law school students
Best tort study guide
A really outstanding concise - but thorough hornbook
Very useful

Understanding Torts (Legal Text Series)
John L. Diamond , Lawrence C. Levine , and M. Stuart Madden
Manufacturer: Matthew Bender & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Torts and Compensation: Personal Accountability and Social Responsibility for Injury (American Casebook Series)
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Legal Method And Writing

ASIN: 0820552194

Customer Reviews:

Great Supplement to Understand Torts.......2007-04-17

This book was recommended by my torts professor as a supplement to readings. I found it extremely helpful and a great overview of the torts material. My professor was nice enough to tell us which pages would be beneficial to read which was helpful but the glossary of terms is great for going back to a topic for a quick refresher of the subject. The book is well written but simple enough for a first year to easily grasp the topics covered. Some other pros? It mentions specific important tort cases most likely covered in ALL first year torts classes (Palsgraf among many). I think this book would be a great review for the final as well as using it as a supplement to assigned class readings.
I have the older version and it seems some of the law is not current, I do know the book has been republished in 2006 and therefore might include those revisions. Definitely a must for first year law students.

Excellent book for law school students .......2007-01-25

I am a torts law professor and this is one of the two books I recommend my students use as supplementary reading. It is a relatively short but comprehensive and very well written summary of the material. Torts is a required course in all law schools and this book will help any student get a more complete understanding of the topic. Students, will, of course, need to read and prepare the assignments from whatever text the professor assigns. This book will work best as a supplement to those texts. By the way, the other book I recommend to my students is The Forms and Functions of Tort Law by Abraham.

Best tort study guide.......2005-09-12

This book is a must have for any torts class. Forget Gilberts. This book is easy to read, straight forward, and gives examples on every topic it discusses. This book is the secondary text book in my torts class and was highly reccommended by my professor. If you are confused about anything, this book will make any complex theory easy to understand.

A really outstanding concise - but thorough hornbook.......2004-08-27

This is a really great book - it also is small ( less weight to carry in bookbag ) - it has some short commings ( light on product liability ) - I used this with Epstein on Torts ( Aspen Hornbook ) Shapo on Torts ( West Hornbook ). You will find that all authors give some topics less attention than others - hence the plethora of hornbooks. Emmanuals & Gilberts are not so good.. Also - get the California Baby Bar Essay problems and answers - this is the best resource for practice exam taking. If you're lazy - get the Black Letter Law series book on torts for very concise rules - I used this as a rule book to capsulate the restatements so I could remember them for the test

Very useful.......2002-11-29

I'm currently a 2L and last year, I used a plethora of study aids. I found this book to be the most helpful for Torts class. The book explains the history behind the subjects and then what the substantive law is. It lays everything out very logically and is organized in a way that makes sense as well. While it doesn't have any comprehensive case summaries, if you truly want to understand the law of torts, you can't go wrong with this book.

British Prime Ministers:

British Prime Ministers

British Prime Ministers