Utilitarianism: Bentham and Mill

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill are considered the classic founders of the ethics of utilitarianism.

Utilitarianism is based on the idea that everyone desires pleasure and happiness.

Utilitarianism aims to maximize pleasure and minimize pain for the greatest number of people.

Utilitarianism solely focuses on maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain, and does not consider other ethical factors such as justice or fairness.

Utilitarianism aims to identify moral goodness through commands of God, dictates of reason, or fulfillment of human nature.

Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill built upon the work of previous British empiricists like Locke, Berkeley, and Hume.

What is the name of Bentham's work that outlines the principles of morals and legislations?

According to Bentham, what are the two "sovereign masters" that govern human behavior?

Bentham believed that the principle of utility could be proven through a series of logical arguments.

Bentham argued that theories like those of Kant, Hobbes, Aristotle, and Plato were either reducible to the principle of utility or were inferior to it.

Bentham believed that the social contract theory, as illustrated by Hobbes, requires the principle of utility for its justification.

Bentham believed that both primary and secondary evils should be considered by legislators when making laws.

Bentham argued that punishment can be justified only if it achieves a greater good for the community.

Bentham believed that the concept of “retribution” or revenge has no legitimate place in a utilitarian system of punishment.

According to Bentham, in which of the following situations should punishment NOT be inflicted?

Bentham argued that private ethics should be used to regulate sexual immorality, as it is not appropriate for government intervention.

Bentham believed that the primary purpose of law is to encourage actions that lead to the greatest happiness of the community.