The Principles of Morals and Legislation

JeremyBentham'sworkonThePrinciplesofMoralsandLegislationemergesfromitshistoricrootsinhedonismandteleologyasascientificattempttoassessthemoralcontentofhumanactionbyfocusingonitsresultsorconsequences.Proceedingfromtheassumptionthathumanbeingsdesirepleasure(andavoidpain),Bentham'suniqueperspective,knownasutilitarianism,isusedtoconstructafascinatingcalculusfordeterminingwhichactiontoperformwhenconfrontedwithsituationsrequiringmoraldecision-makingthegoalofwhichistoarriveatthe"greatesthappinessofthegreatestnumber."Towardthisend,heendeavorstodelineatethesourcesandkindsofpleasureandpainandhowtheycanbemeasuredwhenassessingone'smoraloptions.Benthamsupportshisargumentswithdiscussionsofintentionality,consciousness,motives,anddispositions.Benthamconcludesthisgroundbreakingworkwithananalysisofpunishment:itspurposeandtheproperrolethatlawandjurisprudenceshouldplayinitsdeterminationandimplementation.HerewefindBenthamassocialreformerseekingtoresolvethetensionthatinevitablyexistswhentheconcernsofthemanyconflictwithindividualfreedom.ThePrinciplesofMoralsandLegislationoffersreaderstherareopportunitytoexperienceoneofthegreatworksofmoralphilosophy,avolumethathasinfluencedthecourseofethicaltheoryforoveracentury.