Jeremy Bentham, “The Principle of Utility”
What it says…
What it does…
My comments & questions for the
author
Chapter 1 Of the Principle of Utility
1. Humans are governed by the pursuit of
pleasure and the avoidance of pain, which
determine what we ought to do as well as what
we actually will do, and the principle of utility is
founded upon this fact.
Lays down the foundation of the principle of
utility in a theory of the good: hedonism.
Is it true that we are governed by these things
alone? Can’t we sometimes act for higher, more
noble ends, such as liberty, rights, or love, or
truth?
Hmmm…how might Bentham respond?
2. “The principle of utility” means the principle
that acts, whether of individuals or of
governments, are right or wrong insofar as they
increase or diminish the pleasure of everyone
affected.
Defines “the principle of utility.”
3. “Utility” means the property of a thing
whereby it tends to produce pleasure or to
diminish pain, whether for an individual or for a
community.
Defines “utility.”
4. A community is nothing but the individuals
that constitute it, so that “the interest of the
community” means only the sum of the interests
of the individuals that compose it.
Defines “interest of the community.”
5. A thing is in the interest of the individual
when it adds to her pleasures or diminishes her
pains.
Defines “interest of the individual.”
6. An action conforms to the principle of utility
if it tends to increase pleasure for the
community or decrease pain.
Defines when an action conforms to the
principle of utility.
7. A measure of government conforms to the
principle when it tends to increase pleasure or
decreases pain for the community.
Defines when a measure of government—a
policy or law—conforms to the principle of
utility.
8. For convenience sake, we might use the term
“law,” and say that an act conforms to the law,
when speaking of the principle.
Suggests that the term “law” may be useful, but
implies that the principle is not a moral law in
the sense that some being (or nature herself) had
dictated it.
Interesting that Bentham insists upon a
naturalistic, empirical ground for his moral
theory; so he avoids any hint that God or natural
law (as in natural right) should be the ground.
9. A person is a “partisan” of the principle of
utility if his approval or disapproval of an act is
based upon its utility (as defined above).
Defines what characteristic is essential to be a
partisan of the utilitarian principle.
Why does Bentham bother defining this? Isn’t it
obvious? Hmm?
10. An act is right, or at least not wrong, and
one ought to do it, or at least it isn’t wrong to
do it, if it conforms to the principle of utility.
Defines “right” and “wrong” and “ought” in
relation to the principle of utility.
Interesting how Bentham distinguishes between
morally permissible and morally obligatory acts
in this definition.
11. Anyone who contests the principle of utility
doesn’t understand it, but nor can it be proved
directly, since it is fundamental.
Lays out to what extent the principle of utility
can be attacked or proved.
12. Every one defers to the principle, most
naturally embrace it, and a few inconsistently
attack it through misunderstanding or prejudice.
Defends the principle as so fundamental that we
cannot reject it.
Bentham hereby avoids the tendency to think of
the community as an entity apart from
individuals, an error that Stalin and other
totalitarian dictators fall into.
Is this really a good argument? Is the principle so
fundamental that we can’t even rationally
evaluate it? Hmmm?