Philosophy: In reaction to Mill

Throughout human history philosophy, religion and critical thinking has attempted to answer the question: What about humanity makes us different to lesser beings? Mill argues, “It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be a Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, is a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the question. The other party to the comparison knows both sides.”

To agree with Mill’s statement one can argue that with dissatisfaction in human beings, one has the awareness and the faculties to realise that one is dissatisfied and then to perhaps do something to bring about a change so as to change the state of satisfaction. This awareness of dissatisfaction of a state of existence is an essential human characteristic and is very much along the same lines of “I think, therefore I am.”

This higher consciousness or awareness, having human qualities or characteristic...