The Principles of Morals and Legislation

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 edition. Excerpt: ... Alarm, a branch of the secondary mischief of an act, 153. -- none, when the person the object of attack not determinate, 162. -- due to the apparent mental attitude of the actor at the time of an sct, 164. -- goodness of the motive of an act does not remove, 165. -- nature of the motive, how it affects, 167. -- disposition of the actor, how it affects, 168. -- and danger, distinguished, 157. their branches, 157. to what causes due, 157. -- sometimes, danger always contingent, 159. Alien, the condition of an, how constituted, 294. Ambassador, the trust of an, or presbeutic trust, offences affecting, 289 n. -- injuries to an, 286 n. Ambition, under what class of motives it falls, 109. -- its relation to love of power and to love of reputation, ill. Amity, or self-recommendation, the pleasures of, their nature, 35. -- or self-recommendation, the pleasures of, motives corresponding to, 108. -- the desire of, placed in the class of good motives, 119. how far coincident with that of benevolence, 123. with that of the love of reputation, 123. conformable to utility, 123. classed as a semi-social as well as a self-regarding motive, 121. as a standing tutelary motive, considered, 144. -- the motive of, commonly associated with that of benevolence or sym- pathy, 108. its varying effects illustrated, 108. how far coincident with that of benevolence, 123. -- the pleasures and pains of, and those of benevolence, distinguished, 41 n. Anglo-Saxon Wer-geld, see Wer-geld. Animals, cruelty to, see Cruelty. Ammo malo, meaning of the expression, 95 n. Antipathetic bias and sensibility, explained, 51. Antipathy, occasionally causes actions with good effects, 23. -- never a right ground of action, 23. •-- resentment merely a modification of, 23. -- as...

JEREMY BENTHAM was born in London on February 15, 1748, to a family of comfortable means. His was the life of a child prodigy who read Latin at three years of age and at twelve was enrolled in Oxford University, where he received his undergraduate degree at the age of sixteen. Thereafter, he studied law at Lincoln's Inn, Westminster. Inheritances from his parents afforded Bentham the opportunity to pursue a life of study and writing. While in his mid-forties, he dedicated himself to the critical analysis and reform of moral, political, religious, legal, educational, and economic institutions as they existed in England.

Though he found the judicial system to be hypocritical and corrupt, Bentham's fascination with the fundamental ideals of the law steered him toward philosophy and science in an effort to develop standards that could ground the social order. His reformist tendencies proved to be a significant factor in the development of his now famous system of ethics known as utilitarianism, wherein human action was to be judged by the amount of pleasure and pain it produced.

Bentham's published works include: A Fragment on Govern­ment (1776), An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation (1781), The Rationale of Judicial Evidence (edited by John Stuart Mill in 1825), and two volumes on Constitutional Code (ca. 1830). Bentham died in London on June 16, 1832.