《论自由·第一章·导论》第13节
No society in which these liberties are not, on the whole, respected, is free, whatever may be its form of government; and none is completely free in which they do not exist absolute and unqualified. The only freedom which deserves the name, is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental and spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.
注释摘要
这段文字位于导论的收束处，是密尔在完整铺设了他的自由原则之后，给出的一个总结性宣示。从论证链条来看，到这里他已经完成了几个关键步骤：先将自由界定为对统治权力进行限制的古老事业，再揭示民主时代的新危险——多数人的暴政不仅通过法律，更通过社会舆论来施行，然后提出了他整本书赖以展开的那条极简原则，即伤害原则，最后把这条原则的适用范围划为思想、个性、结社三大领域。…