On Liberty - John Stuart Mills

In On Liberty, John Stuart Mills sets out the utilitarian proposition that societies should grant individuals certain freedoms of action. To the extent that these freedoms do not hurt others or the society at large, Mill believes that people of sound mind and who are adults should be granted the right to make their own decisions.

In the case of a patient in need of a heart transplant (Mr. Doe) who wishes to pay a willing healthy man (Mr. Donor) to donate his heart, so that Mr. Doe may live, the ideas of Mill can be evaluated in a hypothetical scenario. Mr. Donor is assumed to be of sound mind and he is not a child who should be watched over. His decision to donate his heart and thus die in the process is made for a rational cause: he believes that in doing so, he will be able to support his family. Is this decision grounds for a doctor or governing body to step in and prevent Mr. Donor from going through with the exchange?

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