Benthamism

American  

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

noun

1. the utilitarian philosophy of Jeremy Bentham.

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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

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Other Word Forms

• Benthamic adjective
• Benthamite noun

Etymology

Origin of Benthamism

First recorded in 1820–30; Bentham + -ism

Example Sentences

I often amuse myself by trying to imagine what Bentham would have said of Benthamism expounded by Mill.

From Project Gutenberg

Of or pertaining to Bentham or Benthamism.

From Project Gutenberg

One who believes in Benthamism.

From Project Gutenberg

The English Miss Sedgwick deserves the thanks of humanity for putting Benthamism into clean purple and fine linen.

From Project Gutenberg

In the derivation of Benthamism alone—which, it may be observed, first becomes widely known in the French paraphrase of Dumont—an important element is supplied Helvetius. by the works of a French writer, Helvetius; as Bentham himself was fully conscious.

From Project Gutenberg