John Stuart Mill was born in London on May 20, 1806, to James and Harriet Burrow Mill. He was educated by his father, a trained minister who made a living as a freelance journalist. Mill was a child prodigy. At 3 years old he began studying Greek; by the time he was 8 he was engaged in the study of Latin. In addition to the study of languages, he also learned about economics, logic, and mathematics. His intellectual development was aided by interacting with his father’s friends, who included Jeremy Bentham, the utilitarian philosopher, and famed economist David Ricardo. Mill spent one year living with Bentham’s relatives in France, where he learned French and was exposed to the country’s culture.

By the time he was 20, ...