Jeremy Bentham and utilitarianism 边沁和功利主义概要1.pptVIP

Brief Introducton of Jeremy Bentham Born in London, England A child prodigy: read as a young toddler and studied Latin at the age of three Studied law at Queens College, Oxford and completed his Bachelors degree and Masters degree. a British philosopher, jurist(法学家), social reformer( 改革家) and the founder of modern utilitarianism (功利主义) a leading theorist in Anglo-American philosophy of law, and a political radical whose ideas influenced the development of welfarism. konwn for his advocacy of utilitarianism and animal rights and the idea of the panopticon（圆形监狱）. His Arguments He advocated: individual and economic freedom the separation of church and state(国教分离) freedom of expression equal rights for women the right to divorce the decriminalising(合法化)of homosexual acts the abolition of slavery, the abolition of the death penalty the abolition of physical punishment, including children. His Work 1. Utilitarianism This philosophy of utilitarianism took for its fundamental axiom, it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong. 2. Economics Bentham stated that pleasures and pains can be ranked according to their value or dimension such as intensity, duration, certainty of a pleasure or a pain. 3. Animal rights Bentham is widely regarded as one of the earliest proponents of animal rights, and has even been hailed as the first patron saint of animal rights. Utilitarianism(功利主义) Definitions: Utilitarianism is defined as the greatest good of the greatest number .The greatest happiness principle, or the principle of utility, forms the cornerstone of all Benthams thought. By happiness, he understood a predominance of pleasure over pain. We decide how to act, and then justify our actions, by evaluating which alternatives are likely result in the greatest good. Measurement of Utility Pleasure Happiness Ideals Preferences Types of Utilitarianism Act Utilitarianism (情境功利主义) An act is right, if and only if, it results