The Classical Utilitarians

Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill, John Troyer

• Publisher: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.
• Year: 2003
• eBook ISBN: 9781603847599
• Topic: Philosophie
• Subtopic: Ethik & Moralphilosophie

This volume includes the complete texts of two of John Stuart Mill's most important works, Utilitarianism and On Liberty, and selections from his other writings, including the complete text of his Remarks on Bentham's Philosophy. The selection from Mill's A System of Logic is of special relevance to the debate between those who read Mill as an Act-Utilitarian and those who interpret him as a Rule-Utilitarian.

Also included are selections from the writings of Jeremy Bentham, founder of modern Utilitarianism and mentor (together with James Mill) of John Stuart Mill. Bentham's Principles of Morals and Legislation had important effects on political and legal reform in his own time and continues to provide insights for political theorists and philosophers of law. Seven chapters of Bentham's Principles are here in their entirety, together with a number of shorter selections, including one in which Bentham repudiates the slogan often used to characterize his philosophy: The Greatest Happiness of the Greatest Number.

John Troyer's Introduction presents the central themes and arguments of Bentham and Mill and assesses their relevance to current discussions of Utilitarianism. The volume also provides indexes, a glossary, and notes.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• A Note on the Texts
• Selections from Bentham’s Principles of Morals and Legislation
• Bentham on “The Greatest Good for the Greatest Number”
• Bentham on “Push-Pin versus Poetry”
• Mill’s Utilitarianism
• Mill’s On Liberty
• Chapter XII of Book VI of Mill’s A System of Logic
• Mill’s “Remarks on Bentham’s Philosophy”
• Mill’s Excerpt from a letter to Henry Jones
• Notes and Glossary
• Bibliography