Anglický jazyk

Remarks on Bentham's Philosophy

Vydavateľstvo: GRIN Verlag
Rok vydania: 2008
Formát: Paperback
Rozmer: 210 x 148 mm
Jazyk: Anglický jazyk
ISBN: 9783640234936

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O knihe

Classic from the year 2008 in the subject Philosophy - Philosophy of the 19th Century, , - entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: First published in 1833. Excerpt: It is no light task to give an abridged view of the philosophical
opinions of one, who attempted to place the vast subjects of
morals and legislation upon a scientific basis: a mere outline is
all that can be attempted.
The first principles of Mr. Bentham's philosophy are these--that
happiness, meaning by that term pleasure and exemption from
pain, is the only thing desirable in itself; that all other things are
desirable solely as means to that end; that the production,
therefore, of the greatest possible happiness is the only fit
purpose of all human thought and action, and consequently of
all morality and government; and moreover, that pleasure and
pain are the sole agencies by which the conduct of mankind is
in fact governed, whatever circumstances the individual may be
placed in, and whether he is aware of it or not.
Mr. Bentham does not appear to have entered very deeply into
the metaphysical grounds of these doctrines; he seems to have
taken those grounds very much upon the showing of the
metaphysicians who preceded him. The principle of utility, or as
he afterward called it, "the greatest-happiness principle," stands
no otherwise demonstrated in his writings than by an
enumeration of the phrases of a different description which
have been commonly employed to denote the rule of life, and
the rejection of them all, as having no intelligible meaning,
further than as they may involve a tacit reference to
considerations of utility. Such are the phrases "law of nature",
"right reason", "natural rights", "moral sense." All of these Mr.
Bentham regarded as mere covers for dogmatism, excuses for
setting up one's own ipse dixit as a rule to bind other people.