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Jeremy
Bentham
Born: February 15, 1748 - Houndsditch, London, England
Died: June 6, 1832 - London, England
His estate financed the new University College in London. |
Famous For:
He was one
of the founders of utilitarianism. Spent most of his life writing
about legal reform issues. He developed and proposed projects
that used "practical" ideas for the reform of some social
institutions.
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Humanist Idea:
"The
greatest happiness principle" also known as" the principle of
utility. He Felt that the primary motivators for humans are
pleasure and pain.
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The principle of utility is something to which individuals, in
acting, refer either explicitly or implicitly, and this is something that
can be ascertained and confirmed by simple observation
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If the pleasure is good, then it is good irrespective of whose
pleasure it is.
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The advantages of this are:
- the principle of utility is clear,
- allows for objective and disinterested public discussion,
- enables decisions to be made where there seem
to be conflicts of legitimate interests.
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Noted Sayings:
"By the principle of utility is meant that principle which
approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever, according to the
tendency which it appears to have to augment or diminish the happiness of
the party whose interest is in question: or, what is the same thing in
other words, to promote or to oppose that happiness." (Introduction to the Principles of Morals
and
Legislation (1789))
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