As instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

As instruction - Essay Example It therefore, can be said that each of us, follow a definite philosophy which guides our actions and our efforts to gain knowledge and accordingly base our judgments of the people or event. J. S. Mills, an eminent philosopher, In his book ‘On liberty’ has extensively discoursed on liberty of thought and discussion and has tried to explain its wider meaning with respect to the control exerted by society on an individual. Through the ages, liberty and freedom of choice has been the most important issue for the rulers and the community at large. The rulers and people in authority have been using their power to exert control over the community and individuals. Mills has argued that no government or individual has the right to suppress the independent thought of other individuals largely because the new thoughts are catalyst to the changes, which are part and parcel of human existence. The extent of the influence of their control on the liberty of individuals is the most vital aspect of interplay of human relationship within the society. The governmental and constitutional paradigms of liberty are important factors in the larger interests of the society. But there are some intrinsic and unarticulated social control over the individuals within the society, which may be defined by the doctrines of the time and religion. According to Mils ‘for a long time past, the chief mischief of the legal penalties is that they strengthen the social stigma’ (Mills, chapter 1). While to some extent, one can agree that excess control does corrodes of moral and ethical values, but some control is necessary to maintain law and order within the social fabric. But Mills theory on liberty of thought and discussion is highly relevant with the issue of teaching the theory of evolution and the theory of intelligent design in public school.