John Peter DiIulio, Completely Free: The Moral and Political Vision of John Stuart Mill

John Peter DiIulio's Completely Free impressively reconstructs John Stuart Mill's moral philosophy as a systematic whole spanning a theory of fundamental value through a theory of morality into a theory of politics. Some interpret Mill's works as fundamentally inconsistent, but DiIulio contends that they present coherent and mutually supporting accounts of happiness, morality, liberty, and freedom. The engaging arguments throughout Completely Free do much to support that contention.

The clarity of DiIulio's writing makes following the book's arguments remarkably easy. However, the book is information-dense, draws together parts from Mill's works on distinct philosophic areas, and relates Mill's view to several philosophic debates spanning centuries. Consequently, the book is considerably more accessible to readers with significant background knowledge. Completely Free is not an introductory text but is instead primarily intended for scholars of the history of moral philosophy or readers with significant familiarity with Mill's works and the broader debates in moral and political philosophy.

Though the book is geared to specialists, its clear structure and presentation make it generally accessible to non-specialist scholars and advanced students seeking to better understand Mill's philosophy. Thus, the book will interest wide-ranging philosophers, including those interested in liberalism's philosophic foundations and contemporary issues in moral and political philosophy.

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