Choose a current issue that relates to the protection of individual rights. Write an argument that makes a claim related to whether or not rights have been violated. Use specific textual and visual evidence from the Bill of Rights and court cases to support your claim. When you are done, upload or submit your graphic organizer. Review the rubric to see the grading criteria for this project.

Thesis: Mill argues that it is in the best interest of society to promote individuality which ensures  liberty over using authority to conform subjects to a particular type of person conducive to  following orders.

Definitions

Liberty: Mill defines Liberty using three basic criteria developed on page 15.

1. An individual maintains the ability to freely think and feel on all subjects and may  express their thoughts,

2. An individual maintains the ability to freely frame their own life according to their tastes  and preferences regardless of public opinion, providing that their choices do not harm  others.

3. An individual maintains the ability to freely unite with other free individuals, providing that  the purpose of uniting is not the harm of others.  Clearly, individual rights are closely tied to Liberty. Using this definition of Liberty, Mill links the  protection of certain individual rights to Liberty.

Arguments

Argument 1: Opinions (pg. 22-23 & 43)

Promoting individuality leads to a multitude of opinions which creates a broad dialogue  where opinions and discussed and refined until they become uncontested truths. Only by  listening to all sides of an issue can one be wise and reach an uncontested truth. Mill  furthers that “the well-being of mankind may almost be measured by the number and  gravity of the truths which have reached the point of being uncontested.” The opinions  and dialogue associated with individuality will therefore increase progress. It follows that maintaining individuality is in the best interest of society so that uncontested truths, and  subsequently progress, may be increased.

Argument 2: Individuality builds character in a society (pg 59)

Mill argues that the expression of an individual’s desires and impulses define a person’s  character. He further claims that “one whose desires and impulses are not his own, has  no character, no more than a steam engine has character.” Society in turn benefits from  strong characters. Mill argues that society needs people of strong characters in order to  progress. Therefore, by preferring individuality, society builds character which helps general welfare.

Argument 3: Individuality is required for the progression of society (pg. 62-63)Mill claims that “individuality is the same thing [as] development, and that it is only the  cultivation of individuality which produces… well-developed human beings.” This is  because the originality comes from individuals directing their own life which is needed for  progress (like discovering new truths or challenge old truths.) As Mill contends, “genius  can only breathe freely in an atmosphere of freedom.” Without these geniuses, “human  life would be a stagnant pool.” By linking it to progress, it is clear that society can  effectively better itself through individuality.

Counter Arguments

There are two type of counter-arguments that are anticipated to our claim that society is better  off to promote individuality. The first is that the role of society is not best spent focusing on promoting liberty. The second is that individuality does not benefit society.

Counter-Argument 1: Role of Society is to use Authority to control subject Instead of how Mill defines the role of society as cultivating individualism, one might  argue that the role of society is to use authority to coerce subjects. Past philosophers  like Hobbes argued that it is best for subjects to be under a powerful sovereign. One  may argue that the role of society is not to cultivate individuality, but rather use authority  to suppress individuality for the best interest of society.

Counter-Argument 2: Calvinistic Theory (pg. 61)

Mill presents the case that one may argue that human nature is not good. In this case,  society would only be hurting itself by trying to cultivate individuality. This falls in line with  Calvinistic Theory that human’s main objective is to obey God’s command and that  human nature is corrupt. This would mean that it would be detrimental for society to try  to promote individuality since it impedes human’s main purpose.

Counter-Argument 3: Customs

Similar to the arguments presented by Tocqueville, one may argue that customs are an  important part of maintaining a society. The type of individualism that Mill argues for  diminishes the power of customs because it begs people to challenge customs with  individual thought. People like Tocqueville may argue that individuality is bad because it  diminishes the role customs.

Explanation:

they required less loading and unloading

explanation:

the shipping container improved shipping because it cut down on unloading time by three weeks, eliminated wasted space, and allowed ships to carry.

the correct answer is: the fact that the anti-federalist papers were considered poorly written.