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| 6/6/1832 |
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Bentham, Dickens, Quadrupeds
On this day in 1832 the radical British philosopher and reformer Jeremy Bentham died. Bentham's Complete Works run to thirty-six volumes, but his most famous connection to literature may be through Charles Dickens. The two shared several enthusiasms -- prison reform, a minimum wage -- but in Hard Times Dickens enjoyed targeting all Gradgrinds and Utilitarians. |
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Classical Utilitarianism Website: Jeremy's Labyrinth
Offers electronic texts and essays, commentary and notes on Bentham and his works. Includes lectures from a course on the history of ethics.
"The Principles begins with this famous passage: `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.' Here Bentham announces the essentials of both his ethics and his psychology. Human beings are only motivated by considerations of their own pleasure and pain. His psychology is thus that of egoistic hedonism. But what we morally should do is another matter. The morally appropriate course of action is always whichever one would achieve the greatest total pleasure, taking everyone into account. His ethics, therefore, is universalistic hedonism." |  | Online Books Page
Find electronic texts of An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, On the Liberty of the Press, and Public Discussion, The Rationale of Punishment, The Rationale of Reward, and other works. | | Utilitarianism Resources
Selected links to electronic texts, biographies, bibliographies, and critical analysis. Include a Utilitarian Glossary and Primer. On-site resources include biographies of John Stuart Mill, Bentham, and Elie Halévy. | |
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The TinL masthead features photography by
Natasha D'Schommer
, and the book art featured is by Jim Rosenau.
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