Benthamism

American  

[ben-thuh-miz-uhm, -tuh-] / ˈbɛn θəˌmɪz əm, -tə- /

noun

1. the utilitarian philosophy of Jeremy Bentham.

---

Benthamism British  

/ ˈbɛnθəˌmɪzəm /

noun

1. the philosophy of utilitarianism as first expounded by Jeremy Bentham in terms of an action being good that has a greater tendency to augment the happiness of the community than to diminish it

---

Other Word Forms

• Benthamite
  noun
• Benthamic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Benthamism

First recorded in 1820–30; Bentham + -ism

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Benthamism

Let Benthamism reign, if men have no aspirations; but do not tell them to be romantic and then solace them with ‘glory:’ do not attempt by philosophy what once was done by religion.

From An Essay In Aid Of A Grammar Of Assent by Newman, John Henry

The strong points of Benthamism may, I think, be summed up in two words.

From The Life of Sir James Fitzjames Stephen, Bart., K.C.S.I. A Judge of the High Court of Justice by Stephen, Leslie, Sir

For all its philanthropy, Benthamism did not settle the problem of the conditions of life among the working classes.

From A Short History of English Liberalism by Blease, Walter Lyon

Here, indeed, as elsewhere Locke is the true progenitor of Benthamism, and his work can hardly be understood save in this context.

From Political Thought in England from Locke to Bentham by Laski, Harold Joseph

Benthamism aims at converting morality into a science.

From The English Utilitarians, Volume I. by Stephen, Leslie, Sir