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

• Benthamite
  noun
• Benthamic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Benthamism

First recorded in 1820–30; Bentham + -ism

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Benthamism

So again, in the modified Benthamism which the persuasive exposition of J.S.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7 "Equation" to "Ethics" by Various

No one can pretend, for instance, that there is any body of theoretic opinion so compact and so well thought out as Benthamism was in its own day and generation.

From Studies in Literature by John Morley

Mr. Mill tells us how Wordsworth's poetry, little as he sympathised with Wordsworth's opinions, solaced an intellect wearied with premature Greek and over-doses of Benthamism.

From Hours in a Library New Edition, with Additions. Vol. II (of 3) by Sir Leslie Stephen

This, whatever the ultimate truth, is in fact the essential core of all the Utilitarian doctrine descended from or related to Benthamism.

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

Benthamism, he says to himself, stands for individualism.

From Recent Developments in European Thought by Various