Bentham, Jeremy 1748-1832
English philosopher, writer on jurisprudence and social reformer

Born in London, he went to Queen's College, Oxford, at the age of 12 and was called to the Bar at the age of 15. He was more interested in the theory of the law, and is best known as a pioneer of utilitarianism in his works A Fragment on Government (1776) and Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1789), which argued that the aim of all actions and legislation should be 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number'. He held that laws should be socially useful and not just reflect the status quo, and developed a 'hedonic calculus' to estimate the effects of different actions. He travelled widely in Europe and Russia, was made an honorary citizen of the French Republic (1792), and wrote on penal and social reform, economics and politics. He planned a special prison (the Panopticon) and a special school (the Chrestomathia), and helped start the Westminster Review (1823). He also founded University College London, where his clothed skeleton can still be seen.

Bibliography: Ross Harrison, Bentham (1983)