Utilitarianism of Jeremy Bentham

 

Jaya Kosley

 

Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur

 

ABSTRACT:

 

INTRODUCTION:

Utilitarianism stands for ‘greatest happiness of the greatest number’ where interest of the few may be sacrificed in the interest of the collectively happiness is defined as the balance of pleasure over pain derived from various goods and services, acts and policies. Founder of this school of thought, was Jeremy Bentham; he has observed the nature has placed mankind under two sovereign masters: pleasure and pain. Human behaviour is guided by an urge to obtain pleasure and avoid pain. Moral principles and state policy should aim at promoting ‘greatest happiness of greatest number.’ He made no distinction between qualities of different pleasures. He insisted on maximizing the quantity of pleasure. He combined throughout his active life and careers of a philosopher, a jurist and that of a social reformer².

 

Originally developed by English political philosopher Bentham, Bentham's theory of utilitarianism asserts that actions and institutions should be judged by their contribution to utility, which is measured by calculating the relative contribution to happiness or pleasure, as opposed to pain. The aim of government should thus be 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number'³.

 

Bentham follows-up his view that human beings are under the mastery of pain and pleasure by arguing that what is good for the individual, is right for human society and for all sentient creatures. Three points should be noted:

1.      The principle of utility has a universal application. Actions should therefore be calculated on the basis of what is good for the world and not what maximizes the happiness of a particular locality or class.

2.      Every human being counts and all are equal. This is an egalitarian message.

3.      Sentient animals are equally under the same law of pain and pleasure and have to be taken into account when actions to maximize pleasure are examined. Utilitarian theory was not enough for Bentham. He believed that theories are worthless unless they have practical application⁴.

 

Advantages:-

Utilitarian theory takes into account the well-being of the general population; it takes into account the consequences of an action. It is an easy ethic to use in a democracy; the dangerous minority cannot be in control. Also, it does not rely on religious belief and principles which cannot be verified⁵.

 

 

Disadvantage:-

There are however, some disadvantages to the theory. It depends on accurately predicting the long term affects of the action, which cannot always be done. Also it does not take into account personal relationships, for example many would save their child from a burning bus, even if it is possible to save three other strangers in the time it takes to reach your child. It also can lead to ignoring the needs of the minority even though their claim is a just one. Finally, the theory is changeable, and does not help a person to decide what is universally good⁶.

 

REFRENCE:

1.       http://www.skeptically.org/utilitarianismtheethicaltheoryforalltimes/

2.       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Bentham#cite_note-

3.       http://www.politicsprofessor.com/politicaltheories/benthams-theory-of-utilitarianism.php

4.       Jeremy Bentham. Deontology Together with A Table of the Springs of Action and the Article on Utilitarianism, edited by Amnon Goldworth. Oxford University Press 1983.

5.       Jeremy Bentham, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, (London: Oxford, 1879)

6.       http://www.suite101.com/content/ethical-theory---utilitarianism-a269013#ixzz1G2YfwXJG