Jeremy Bentham Father of Utilitarianism Essay - 1444 Words

Assess the merits of Utilitarianism (24 Marks) Utilitarianism is a theory aimed at defining one simple basis that can be applied when making any ethical decision. It is based on a human’s natural instinct to seek pleasure and avoid pain. Jeremy Bentham is widely regarded as the father of utilitarianism. He was born in 1748 into a family of lawyers and was himself, training to join the profession. During this process however, he became disillusioned by the state British law was in and set out to reform the system into a perfect one based on the ‘Greatest Happiness Principle,’ ‘the idea that pleasurable consequences are what qualify an action as being morally good’. Bentham observed that we are all governed by pain and pleasure; we all†¦show more content†¦Another problem with Bentham’s philosophy is that he would not distinguish between pleasure and pain, seemingly defining them as the same thing. In my opinion pleasure is generally a momentary thing whilst happiness is a more lasting and consistent thing. One might gain pleasure from sitting watching TV all day long. However in doing he is missing work and so will end up with no job and no money to support himself (and pay hi s TV licence!) and will presumably be left unhappy. So, as demonstrated by this example, pleasure is not necessarily happiness and Bentham, was mistaken to define them together The usefulness of his calculus, and the way Bentham defined pleasure came into question from one of his students, J.S. Mill who found his approach too general and simplistic. Mill rejected Bentham’s idea that all pleasures are the same and can be compared, he felt that there were different types or ‘levels’ of pleasure, and that some are more desirable or valuable than others. He decided that some pleasures or more desirable and meaningful than others, that there areShow MoreRelatedJeremy Bentham : The Father Of Modern Utilitarianism840 Words   |  4 PagesJeremy Bentham, the father of modern utilitarianism, he defined his fundamental philosophical principle that â€Å"the greatest good for the greatest number of people is the measure of right and wrong†. Jeremy Bentham as a consequentialist has a more simpler view on human psychological actions, he believes right and wrong can merely be based on the result of the action. Although some would say that he i s a rationalist who is coldly calculating, he also supported on human rights as he advocated for individualRead MoreJeremy Bentham: Political Activist and English Philosopher652 Words   |  3 PagesBetter known as a political activist and English philosopher, Jeremy Bentham is mainly remembered for his contribution on moral philosophy and most particularly his views on the utilitarianism principle. 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