Bentham and Utilitarianism
Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832) founded utilitarianism, formulating it as a precise calculus. His Hedonic Calculus attempted to quantify pleasure and pain across dimensions (intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity, fecundity, purity, extent). Bentham's famous motto: 'the greatest happiness for the greatest number.' His version treats all pleasures equally and focuses on individual acts.
Real World
Bentham's utilitarian principles directly shaped the 1832 Reform Act, which extended voting rights to increase the overall happiness of a greater number of citizens — a direct application of 'the greatest happiness for the greatest number' to legislation.
Exam Focus
Name all seven hedonic calculus criteria in answers about Bentham; examiners award marks for accurate technical terminology, not just general description.
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