Terry+Bentham+D


 * Script**

T: Hello this is history 101, and today, we are going to go back to the past. He is a very famous and important philosopher during the 18th and 19th century to help the industrial revolution. That person is… Jeremy Bentham! LET GO BACK IN TIME TO MEET HIM! WHIRL T: OW rough landing, but hello Mr. Bentham. And so sorry for the sudden entrance, but do you have some time for me to ask a few questions? J: I need to go somewhere soon, but of course for a fellow gentleman like you. T: Just to start things off, how did you get to this point that you are in at this time? J: It started ever since I was young. My brother was a believer and one of the founders of Utilitarianism. He was a very strong philosopher of law and I went to a Utilitarian school. As I was growing I saw many children being forced to work in factories at young ages. T: I know that you are a great philosopher and have changed a lot in this world, but can you tell us about Utilitarianism. It seems very important because you keep repeating the word. J: Well, I mainly believe in Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is basically the greatest happiness or good of the greatest number. This explains the human nature of man and law. This principle states that the laws that are passed should do good deeds, which creates happiness to people and does it in many numbers. This is stated in my book, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislature. T: So Utilitarianism is the thought that law should be for good? J: Yes, this thought came from John Stuart Mill and I added onto it. The book will state everything more clearly, but the laws should be for the people and for the community, not for the government. The laws must be fair. T: That is a very interesting way to think about government and people. Now that’s why you’re the philosopher! Well, I know that you’ve written another book titled A Fragment on Government. Can you tell us what this book is about? J: Well, That book was just an introduction for me spread the philosophy of Utilitarianism. It states that laws should be made for a good and to help another. This was toward Blackstone’s thoughts on laws. This book was also important and helpful get rid of my problems… T: What? Problems? What problems? J: Well… It is hard for my philosophy to strive with many other different philosophies that are so famous because my philosophy doesn’t really agree with any other philosophy. Such as the social contract and natural right. With so much competition, it is hard for my philosophy to be known all around. T: So many things that have really affected you J: Oh my.. time goes by so fast. So sorry, but I need to go T: One quick last question where are you going? J: Off to make a speech to tell others of my philosophy of course. T: Thank you so much for your time Mr. Bentham. J: And thank you too for such a great time and will you please excuse me. Bye WHIRl T: Well, I guess it wasn’t the perfect time to ask Jeremy Bentham a few questions His philosophy grew more famous after his death if anyone was curious… Well that’s all for today and see you next as we travel back in time to meet another philosopher!

“Jeremy Bentham: An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation.” 8 Dec 2008 . “Jeremy Bentham, 1748-1832.” 8 Dec 2008 .

Sweet, William. “Jeremy Bentham [Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy].” 6 Dec 2008 .

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 * PHOTOBOOTH INTERVIEW**


 * PRIMARY SOURCEs**

"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. On the one hand the standard of right and wrong, on the other the chain of causes and effects, are fastened to their throne. They govern us in all we do, in all we say, in all we think: every effort we can make to throw off our subjection, will serve but to demonstrate and confirm it. In words a man may pretend to abjure their empire: but in reality he will remain subject to it all the while. The //principle of utility// recognizes this subjection, and assumes it for the foundation of that system, the object of which is to rear the fabric of felicity by the hands of reason and of law. Systems which attempt to question it, deal in sounds instead of sense, in caprice instead of reason, in darkness instead of light. " " II. The principle of utility is the foundation of the present work: it will be proper therefore at the outset to give an explicit and determinate account of what is meant by it. By the principle of utility is meant that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever. according to the tendency 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. I say of every action whatsoever, and therefore not only of every action of a private individual, but of every measure of government."

“Jeremy Bentham: An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation.” 9 Dec 2008 .


 * What was the point of Jeremy Betham's text?**
 * If the principle of utility was in effect, what laws would be demolished at the time? Also explain what the principle is.

"Correspondent to discovery and improvement in the natural world, is reformation in the moral; if that which seems a common notion be, indeed, a true one, that in the moral world there no longer remains any matter for discovery. Perhaps, however, this may not be the case: perhaps among such observations as would be best calculated to serve as grounds for reformation, are some which, being observations of matters of fact hitherto either incompletely noticed, or not at all would, when produced, appear capable of bearing the name of discoveries: with so little method and precision have the consequences of this fundamental axiom, //it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong//, been as yet developped. Be this as it may, if there be room for making, and if there be use in publishing, discoveries in the natural world, surely there is not much less room for making, nor much less use in proposing, reformation in the moral. If it be a matter of importance and of use to us to be made acquainted with distant countries, surely it is not a matter of much less importance, nor of much less use to us, to be made better and better acquainted with the chief means of living happily in our own: If it be of importance and of use to us to know the principles of the element we breathe, surely it is not of much less importance nor of much less use to comprehend the principles, and endeavour at the improvement of those laws, by which alone we breathe it in security. If to this endeavour we should fancy any Author, especially any Author of great name, to be, and as far as could in such case be expected, to avow himself a determined and persevering enemy, what should we say of him? We should say that the interests of reformation, and through them the welfare of mankind, were inseparably connected with the downfall of his works: of a great part, at least, of the esteem and, influence, which these works might under whatever title have acquired."

“A Fragment on Government By Jeremy Bentham.” 9 Dec 2008 .


 * Jeremy Bentham wrote this toward who? Explain.**
 * What is Bentham's main point in the writing and what is his main philosophy?