Benthamism

[From Eng. proper name Bentham (see def.), and suffix- ism. ] philosophy of Jeremy Bentham, a celebrated jurist and writer on law and other cognate subjects, who was born in London 15th Feb., 1747-8, and died on 6th June, 1832. The e ential principles of Benthamism were that the aim or end of all human life is happine -of the kind derived from the absence of pain and the presence of enjoyment. To put forth efforts, then, for the greatest happine of the greatest number should be the supreme aim of governments and of private individuals, and is itself the highest morality. "Yes, hollow Formulism, gro Benthamism , and other unheroic atheistic Insincerity, is visibly and even rapidly declining."-Carlyle: Heroes, Lect. v.