Jeremy Bentham Quotes
Jeremy Bentham was an 18th and 19th-century English philosopher, jurist, and social reformer, the founder of modern utilitarian ethics. His 1789 work An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation set out the principle of utility as the foundation of morality and legislation, holding that the right action is the one that produces the greatest happiness of the greatest number. The quotes below are attributed to Jeremy Bentham, organized by topic.
Jeremy Bentham on Freedom
-
Attributed to Jeremy Bentham:
“Every law is an evil, for every law is an infraction of liberty.”
-
Attributed to Jeremy Bentham:
“He who reads, judges. He who judges weighs. He who weighs may, and on a fit subject must, decide.”
Jeremy Bentham on Happiness
-
Attributed to Jeremy Bentham:
“It is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong.”
-
Attributed to Jeremy Bentham:
“Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure.”
-
Attributed to Jeremy Bentham:
“The said truth is that it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong.”
Jeremy Bentham on Life
-
Attributed to Jeremy Bentham:
“Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet.”
Jeremy Bentham on Nature
-
Attributed to Jeremy Bentham:
“The question is not, can they reason? nor, can they talk? but, can they suffer?”
Jeremy Bentham on Politics
-
Attributed to Jeremy Bentham:
“Natural rights is simple nonsense; natural and imprescriptible rights, rhetorical nonsense, nonsense upon stilts.”