Bentham, Jeremy, 1748-1832, English philosopher,
jurist, political theorist; founder of Utilitarianism. Educated as a lawyer,
Bentham devoted himself to the scientific analysis of morals and law. His
Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1789) held
that the greatest happiness of the greatest number should govern our judgment
of every institution and action. The 19th-century reforms of criminal law,
of judicial organization, and of the parliamentary electorate owe much to
Bentham's active work in English legislative reform, and his thought strongly
influeced that of John Stuart Mill.
From The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia, c1983.
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