Bentham Scan PDF - Philosophical Profile

## Philosophical Profile ### Jeremy Bentham - Born in London in 1748. - Intellectually precocious, studied Latin grammar at age 4. - Enrolled at Queen's College, Oxford, at age 12. - Earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1763. - Began legal studies at Lincoln's Inn. - Attended lectures on law given...

## Philosophical Profile ### Jeremy Bentham - Born in London in 1748. - Intellectually precocious, studied Latin grammar at age 4. - Enrolled at Queen's College, Oxford, at age 12. - Earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1763. - Began legal studies at Lincoln's Inn. - Attended lectures on law given by Sir William Blackstone at Oxford. - Disagreed with Blackstone's theory of natural rights. - Developed his own utilitarian conception of law. - Earned a Master of Arts degree in 1766. - Decided against becoming a practicing lawyer in favor of a literary career. - Believed in modernizing British political and social institutions. - Influenced the passing of the Reform Bill of 1832, which shifted political power from the landed aristocracy to the urban bourgeoisie. - Godfather of John Stuart Mill. - John Stuart Mill was the godfather of Bertrand Russell. - Part of a philosophical lineage involved with political activism. ## Utilitarian Ethics: Jeremy Bentham - Bentham is known for the subject of utilitarianism. - Not the sole inventor but made significant contributions to the theory. - Elements of utilitarianism can be traced back to Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. - Believed that ethical questions could be answered scientifically. - Rejected traditional bases for moral evaluation (tradition, aristocratic privilege, religious faith). - Believed that they served the interests of the ruling class. - Argued that the ethics of an action should be based on its real-life results, as determined by how much good it produces. - **"Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do.”** ### The Principle of Utility - Approving of an action based on its tendency to augment or diminish the happiness of the party whose interest is in question. - "I say of every action whatsoever; and therefore not only of every action of a private individual, but of every measure of government." - Utility means benefit, advantage, pleasure, happiness, and goodness. - Anything that prevents mischief, pain, evil, suffering, or unhappiness also has utilitarian value. ### The Problem of Pleasure - Bentham's utilitarianism is based on the premise of psychological egoism (our innate desire to seek pleasure and avoid pain). - "Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do, as well as to determine what we shall do." - We should seek pleasure and avoid pain because that is what makes us human. - Pleasure becomes a value that we should pursue and a standard against which to judge all actions and activities. - The right thing to do is to seek pleasure and avoid pain. ### Is-Ought Fallacy - Bentham's reasoning is fallacious because he unjustifiably derives a moral "ought" from an "is" of experience. - He suggests that because people lie, kill, cheat, and steal, these actions are justifiable. - However, we cannot conclude from these actions that they are "ought" to be committed. ### The Theory of Sanctions - Sanctions are the source of pleasure and pain that acts to give binding force to any law or rule of conduct. - Sanctions can also be seen as rewards and punishments. - People tend to maximize their pleasure and minimize their pain to avoid sanctions. **Types of sanctions:** - Physical: Bound by the laws of nature, which are unchangeable, for example: gravity. - Moral: Bound by the expectations of society, such as peer pressure. - Religious: Bound by a belief in rewarding and punishing superhuman beings, such as the Islamic-Judeo-Christian tradition. - Political: Bound by a belief that laws serve the interests of the greatest number. ### Philosophers in Action - Do you think Bentham's acceptance of pleasure as a standard of morality is justified? - Would it be wise to accept an "unnatural" morality, one that requires us to work against our natural urges and inclinations? - What would Bentham say? Discuss.