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John Stuart Mill Multiple Choice Questions
1. Mill believes that education should be:
A. Mandated by the state
B. Determined by the wishes of the parent
C. Determined by the wishes of the child
D. Determined by a majority opinion
Answer: A. Mandated by the state
2. If James disagrees with Jessica’s private spending habits, Mill would say he should:
A. Try to pass a law banning that behavior
B. Ostracize Jessica from all social functions
C. Try to prevent her from continuing those habits
D. None of the above
Answer: D. None of the above
3. Mill tries to justify individual liberty through:
A. Showing that it is socially beneficial
B. Showing that it is required by the social contract
C. Showing that it is commanded by God
D. None of the above
Answer: A. Showing that it is socially beneficial
4. A utilitarian is someone who:
A. Believes that rights are derived from natural law
B. Ignores the consequences of actions in determining their morality
C. Judge’s goodness is based on whether something promotes social good
D. Says that reason compels people to accept certain universal maxims
Answer: C. Judges goodness based on whether something promotes social good
5. Liberty is defined by Mill in the first chapter as:
A. Freedom from captivity
B. The power to do whatever one wants
C. A question of whether free will really exist
D. The nature and limits of the authority society can have over the individual
Answer: D. The nature and limits of the authority society can have over the individual
6. John Stuart Mill lived in which of the following countries?
A. France
B. Germany
C. England
D. Russia
Answer: C. England
7. John Stuart Mill wrote during which of the following centuries?
A. 19th century
B. 17th century
C. 14th century
D. 20th century
Answer: A. 19th century
8. Mill writes that society can punish people’s behavior when:
A. It contradicts the will of the majority
B. It undermines social cohesion
C. It harms other people
D. All of the above
Answer: C. It harms other people
9. Mill defends freedom of opinion for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:
A. The popular opinion could be wrong
B. Both opinions might be partly true
C. Debating one’s opinions is the only way to really understand them
D. Natural law requires that opinions be seen as sacred
Answer: D. Natural law requires that opinions be seen as sacred
10. Mill’s requirements for the protection of liberty apply to:
A. Children
B. Barbarians
C. Women
D. None of the above
Answer: C. Women
11. Mill argues that bigamy:
A. Should be outlawed because it is a peculiar social evil
B. Should be outlawed because it will serve as a bad example for others
C. Should be permitted because it is virtuous
D. Should be permitted because it is a private relationship
Answer: D. Should be permitted because it is a private relationship
12. Mill thinks that actions can be restricted
A. More often than opinions
B. Less often than opinions
C. Under no circumstance
D. Under any circumstance
Answer: A. More often than opinions
13. Mill thinks that the fact that Christians were persecuted when they were in the minority implies that
A. They should persecute others whenever they are in power
B. They should be opposed to persecution in general
C. They should be opposed to persecution only when they are in the minority
D. None of the above
Answer: B. They should be opposed to persecution in general
14. Mill thinks that behavior “harms” others whenever it:
A. Sets a bad example
B. Makes other people upset
C. Violates accepted codes of ethics
D. Betrays an obligation a person had
Answer: D. Betrays an obligation a person had
15. Mill believes that owning a gambling establishment:
A. Is no different than choosing to gamble, and should, therefore, be allowed
B. Is no different than choosing to gamble, and should, therefore not be allowed
C. Is a different moral question from choosing to gamble
D. None of the above
Answer: C. Is a different moral question from choosing to gamble
16. Mill says people owe society:
A. Not to violate other people’s basic claims on society
B. Not to hurt people
C. To work in defense of society and its members
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
17. Mill believes that Christian morality:
A. Is the complete truth on how to behave
B. Is correct, but not the complete truth
C. Is completely untrue
D. Is partly untrue
Answer: B. Is correct, but not the complete truth
18. Mill rejects the argument that truth may be justly persecuted because:
A. It is unfair to the martyrs
B. It shows a lack of respect for the truth the martyrs bring
C. The truth might be lost for centuries
D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
19. Mill believes that people learn best:
A. By debating with people with different opinions
B. By accepting the beliefs of an authority figure
C. By being taught the reasons why a belief is true
D. By memorizing facts
Answer: A. By debating with people with different opinions
20. Mill is writing to an audience that is mainly:
A. Muslim
B. Jewish
C. Christian
D. Hindu
Answer: C Christian
21. Mill believes that individuality:
A. Is impeded by democratization
B. Undermines social stability
C. Is a threat to social progress
D. Is encouraged by the public
Answer: A. Is impeded by democratization
22. Mill presents China as:
A. A model for England to follow
B. A nation that is stagnating
C. A nation that promotes individuality
D. A nation that respects non-conformity
Answer: B. A nation that is stagnating
23. Mill believes that individuality
A. Undermines the good of society
B. Promotes the good of society at the expense of the good of the individual –
C. Is good for the individual and for society
D. Is bad for the individual and for society
Answer: C. Is good for the individual and for society
24. Mill believes that alcohol:
A. Should be banned because it is bad for the individual
B. Should be banned because it sets a bad example for children
C. Should be taxed heavily to discourage its use
D. None of the above
Answer: D. None of the above
25. Mill believes that British society:
A. Respects individuality as & good in itself
B. Is in danger of stagnating
C. Generally protects individual liberty
D. All of the above
Answer: B. Is in danger of stagnating
26. Mill believes that the worst type of tyranny is:
A. Tyranny of the government
B. Tyranny of the majority
C. Tyranny .of the minority
D. Tyranny of the rich
Answer: B. Tyranny of the majority
27. How does Mill view democracy?
A. Ineffective because minorities are still omitted
B. What more countries need
C. A puppet regime for fascists
D. As the power of the people over themselves
Answer: A. Ineffective because minorities are still omitted
28. Who was Mill’s self-proclaimed biggest support?
A. The utilitarian James Mill
B. The King of England
C. Jeremy Bentham
D. His wife, Harriet Taylor
Answer: D His wife, Harriet Taylor
29. Where was Mill from?
A. the United States of America
B. England
C. Germany
D. France
Answer: B. England
30. Society can impose its influence on individuals if:
A. Never, no matter what
B. An individual is a risk to others
C. They deem it necessary
D. An individual is putting himself in danger
Answer: B. An individual is a risk to others
31. Who should not be independent of society’s rule?
A. Children and undeveloped minds
B. Minorities
C. Women
D. Everyone
Answer: A. Children and undeveloped minds
32. If a person is able to, and does not stop harm from coming to another, is he/she responsible?
A. Yes
B. No
C. To some extent
D. Not in any case
Answer: A. Yes
33. Society, as Mill sees it, encourages:
A. Poverty
B. Conformity
C. Uniqueness
D. Violence
Answer: B Conformity
34. An opinion should be heard if it is:
A. Right
B. Wrong
C. Intelligent
D. All of the above
Answer: D All of the above
35. The majority opinion is not necessarily right because:
A. The majority is trying to hurt the minority
B. They have no absolute certainty; they need to listen to others
C. They are of a lower, less intelligent class
D. The majority is always wrong
Answer: B They have no absolute certainty; they need to listen to others
36. Looking at past events indicates:
A. Hindsight can show that public opinion is faulty
B. The minority deserves to be silenced
C. Public opinion is always right
D. The government should be the sole decision-making body
Answer: Hindsight can show that public opinion is faulty
37. Mill believes that an individual’s belief in God:
A. Means he/she is trustworthy
B. Should indicate insincerity
C. Shows moral superiority
D. Is nothing about his/her opinion
Answer: D Is nothing about his/her opinion
38. To Mill, Marcus Aurelius is an example of:
A. A great man, although a persecutor of Christianity
B. An atheist who was morally lacking
C. A religious zealot who embodied important principles
D. An agnostic priest
Answer: A A great man, although a persecutor of Christianity
39. The Calvinistic theory, with which Mill disagrees, is:
A. Government is to be trusted
B. All people are created equal
C. Each one is autonomous
D. Whatever is not the duty, is a sin
Answer: D Whatever is not the duty, is a sin
40. To Mill, eccentricity breeds:
A. Genius
B. Chaos
C. Idleness
D. Problems
Answer: A Genius
41. If people are allowed to pursue their strong desires, Mill thinks society as a whole will become:
A. More sinister
B. Happier
C. Greedier
D. Fatigued
Answer: B Happier
42. To Mill, society, and individuals in the status quo is
A. Better, they don’t have to worry about change
B. Fine, it doesn’t matter because the state will function the same no
C. Dangerous
D. Horrible
Answer: C Dangerous
43. Does Mill agree with Locke that entering society is like entering a contract with your fellow citizens?
A. Yes
B. No
C. To some extent
D. Not Mentioned
Answer: B No
44. According to Mill, should a person be coerced into changing his/ her self-regarding actions?
A. Yes, no action is completely self-regarding
B. No, coercion cannot be employed when dealing with self-regarding actions, the only suggestion
C. No, he/she can’t be coerced, they should be forced
D. Yes, a person has to be protected herself
Answer: B No, coercion cannot be employed when dealing with self regarding actions, only suggestion
45. In Million thought, a drunk man should be punished by society if:
A. He’s shirking an essential duty that would help society
B. He’s too drunk to be intelligible
C. He doesn’t have a family
D. He’s in public
Answer: A. He’s shirking an essential duty that would help society
46. If children grow up to be irrational adults, who are chiefly to blame, according to Mill?
A. That irrational person
B. Parents
C. Society
D. Religious leaders
Answer: C Society
47. A sin tax, to Mill is a_________:
A. Good idea, it’s taxing what no one uses anyway
B. Bad idea, it’s an instrument of greedy vendors
C. Bad idea, it’s an intolerable infringement on liberty
D. Good idea, it’s the lesser of two evils
Answer: D. Good idea, it’s the lesser of two evils
48. The day of the Sabbath should be:
A. Never observed, it’s part of the majority’s tyranny
B. Observed ‘by all, it’s a sacred day for the majority
C. Observed if one wishes, for non-religious people, any day maybe
D. Not taken by those who aren’t Christian
Answer: C. Observed if one wishes, for non-religious people, any day may be
49. In Mill’s opinion, individual autonomy:
A. Is worthless, that’s what the government is for
B. Is against the instincts of individuals.
C. Should be complete and total regardless of what an Individual chooses to do
D. Is against the instincts of society
Answer: B. Is against the instincts of individuals.
50. Warning others of a person’s propensity to harm others is:
A. Only applicable if the harm is murder
B. A awful thing to do
C. Needless, they’ll find out
D. A duty
Answer: D. A duty