“Jeremy Bentham was an English philosopher” that “is chiefly known” for his philosophical part. the ethical theory of utilitarianism ( Sweet ) . Utilitarianism is the ethical theory that states that the best action is the 1 that brings about the greatest sum of good for the greatest figure of people ( DeGeorge 44 ) . Specifically. Bentham was a hedonic useful reasoning that “what finally motivates us is pleasance and pain” ( Sweet ) . Bentham over the class of his life gave a batch to the field. whose influence is still seen today.
Jeremy Bentham was born into a line of lawyers on February 15. 1748. in the town of Houndsditch. London ( Sweet ) . Bentham studied so intensely. “often eight to twelve hours a day” . that when he reached the age of 16 he had already graduated from Queen’s College at Oxford and was go oning in his father’s and grandfather’s footfalls to going an lawyer by analyzing jurisprudence at Lincoln’s Inn ( Sweet ) . Although Bentham was qualified. he ne’er practiced jurisprudence. but alternatively chose to compose on the doctrine of jurisprudence and focused on “critiquing the bing law” and was a strong advocator for legal reform ( Sweet ) .
In 1785. Bentham along with his brother worked on a undertaking called ‘Panopticon’ . that he hoped would earn the attending of the Czarina Catherine the Great ( Sweet ) . Unfortunately. the undertaking. which Bentham hoped would be “a theoretical account prison where all of the captives would be discernible by ( unobserved ) guards at all times” . was non a great success ( Sweet ) . Even though Bentham was non mostly apprehended. he was still able to go on his Hagiographas and work with the fiscal stableness afforded to him from an heritage. Bentham’s most noteworthy authorship seems to be. Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation.
Three of the biggest principals that run throughout the book. every bit good as most of Bentham’s plants are: “the greatest felicity rule. cosmopolitan egoism. and the unreal designation of one’s involvements with those of others” ( Sweet ) . Bentham’s cardinal rule. the greatest felicity rule. says that human existences motivated by pleasance and deterred by hurting is what determines the grade of felicity. which Bentham besides calls “the rule of utility” ( Sweet ) . This rule adds a degree of objectiveness to a really subjective subject. leting it to be clearer. more discernible. and mensurable ( Sweet ) . Bentham besides had strong positions on the construct of natural rights.
Harmonizing to Bentham. rights or a deficiency thereof are formed through the jurisprudence or “within a legal system where the jurisprudence is silent” and hence “the term ‘natural right’ is a ‘perversion of language” ( Sweet ) . Jeremy Bentham has made a big part to the field of moralss through his womb-to-tomb dedication to his theory and rules. Bentham coming from a back land of jurisprudence was able to quantify moralss in a manner that others did non make. leting it take into consideration the greatest figure of people.
Plants Cited
De George. Richard T. Business Ethics. 7th erectile dysfunction. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. 2010. Print. Sweet. William. “Jeremy Bentham ( 1748—1832 ) . ” Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 11 Apr. 2001. Web. 25 Jan. 2013. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. iep. utm. edu/bentham/ & gt ; .
