Understanding Bentham's Principle of Utility and Happiness
School
Collin County Community College District**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
HIST 4314
Subject
Political Science
Date
Dec 10, 2024
Pages
2
Uploaded by 6565LL
HIST/POLS 4314.01Journal 5Jeremy Bentham is one of the influential founders of utilitarianism. In his book, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation he discusses the principle of Utility. This principle of utility is defined by Bentham as, “By the principle of utility is meant that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever, according to the tendency which 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” (371). This excerpt completely explains what the principle of utility is. Bentham believes that nature has two distinguishing governing parts, pain and pleasure. In his theory he believes to achieve happiness one must have the absence of pain. Bentham explains that the community has one interest and that is to promote pleasure and decrease the presence of pain. A government can only be sustained if majority of the people are happy about the prospect. Otherwise a governmentshould not be started. There are a few parts in Bentham’s An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, that tend be a little confusing. When he begins to discuss man combating the principle of Utility he brings up the curious question of, is it possible for man to move the earth? This sounds like an analogy because he believes that man cannot prove the principle wrong but perhaps it is misapplied. Question 1: If pain and pleasure are the only two senses that guide every choice we make, then shouldn’t knowing what choice is the right one be easier to make?
Question 2: Happiness is a fleeting feeling,why should that be the deciding factor in whether or not to have a government?