Bentham
Greatest happiness philosopher
Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) was an English philosopher and jurist, founder of modern utilitarianism—the doctrine that actions are right if they promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number.
His work influenced legal reform, prison design (the panopticon), and welfare economics.
Benthamite reasoning dominates modern policy analysis.
His preserved body remains on display at University College London.
Greatest-happiness moral theory
- JeremyEnglish masculine name
- consequentialismEthics judging by results
- hedonismPursuit of gratification
- felicific calculusSystem for measuring pleasure
Mill · pleasure · pain · ethics · moral philosophy · Enlightenment · empiricism · liberalism
Central-view prison structure
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
- FoucaultProminent French family name
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
visibility · circular · watchtower · cells · control · architecture · penal · reform
Organizing rules into system
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- jurisprudencePhilosophy governing legal systems
- reformImprove by correcting faults
- criminal lawStatutes defining punishable offenses
punishment · rights · animal welfare · decriminalization · sodomy laws · usury · evidence · judicial
Improve by correcting faults
- abolitionFormal discontinuation of practice
- animal rightsMoral claims for fauna
- educationSystematic development of mind
- suffrageRight to cast ballots
welfare · poverty · women's rights · progressive · humanitarian · secular · democracy · freedom of expression
utilitarianism
Greatest-happiness moral theory
- JeremyEnglish masculine name
- consequentialismEthics judging by results
- hedonismPursuit of gratification
felicific calculus · Mill · pleasure · pain · ethics · moral philosophy · Enlightenment · empiricism · liberalism · rationalism
panopticon
Central-view prison structure
- surveillanceSystematic observation of subjects
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
- FoucaultProminent French family name
discipline · visibility · circular · watchtower · cells · control · architecture · penal · reform · observation
codification
Organizing rules into system
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- jurisprudencePhilosophy governing legal systems
- reformImprove by correcting faults
criminal law · punishment · rights · animal welfare · decriminalization · sodomy laws · usury · evidence · judicial · statute
reform
Improve by correcting faults
- abolitionFormal discontinuation of practice
- animal rightsMoral claims for fauna
- educationSystematic development of mind
suffrage · welfare · poverty · women's rights · progressive · humanitarian · secular · democracy · freedom of expression · public health
BenthamKant
German Enlightenment thinker
Immanuel Kant · deontology · Aristotle · Thomas Aquinas · categorical imperative
BenthamKant
German Enlightenment thinker
asceticism · Aristotle · Marcus Aurelius · self-denial · Plato
Benthamconservatism
Preference for existing institutions
traditionalism · John Locke · Thomas Paine · communitarianism