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Three Essays on Religion

John Stuart Mill · 1874

Mill's posthumously published essays on nature, religion's social utility, and theism, revealing his agnostic 'religion of humanity'.

Mill wrote these essays himself, setting out his private philosophical views on nature, religion and belief in God.

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Title page reading 'Nature, The Utility of Religion and Theism, by John Stuart Mill, London, Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, MDCCCLXXIV' in serif capitals on cream paper.
John Stuart Mill, Three Essays on Religion, 1874.

About this source

What it is

This 1874 book collects three essays — Nature, Utility of Religion, and Theism — written by John Stuart Mill at different points in his life. It was published after his death with an introduction by his stepdaughter, Helen Taylor.

Why it matters

In these essays Mill questioned whether nature can be a guide to morality, examined the social functions of religion, and tested religious claims using the same standards of evidence as science. He proposed a secular 'religion of humanity' focused on human welfare rather than supernatural belief, while still taking seriously the comfort some people find in religious hope. The essays reveal the private doubts and reasoning of a major Victorian thinker on questions of God, suffering and morality.

Look closer

  • Why might Mill have waited until after his death for these essays to be published?
  • What role does Helen Taylor's introduction play in how we understand this text?
  • How does Mill use examples from nature to question the idea of a benevolent god?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of John Stuart Mill on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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