Selected Writings (Rethinking the Western Tradition)

Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832), philosopher and reformer, is one of the most influential thinkers of the modern age. This introduction to his writings presents a representative selection of texts authoritatively restored by the Bentham Project, University College London. As well as more familiar pieces on utility, law, and politics/policy, highlights include the succinct essay “On Retrenchment” and a never-before-published treatise on sex. The volume is completed by major interpretative essays by Mark Canuel, David Lieberman, Jennifer Pitts, and Philip Schofield.

The texts included in the book are:

    -Sex

    -An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and

     Legislation, Preface and Chapters 1–5

    -Place and Time

    -Rationale of Judicial Evidence, Specially Applied to

     English Practice, Book 1, Chapter 1

    -Constitutional Code Rationale, Chapters 1 and 2

    -Pannomial Fragments

    -Panopticon, or, the Inspection-House, Letters 1, 2,

     and 6

    -Of Publicity

    -Manual of Political Economy, Chapters 1 and 2

    -Nonsense Upon Stilts (excluding the Observations

     on Sieyes)

    -On Retrenchment

 

Stephen Engelmann is associate professor of political science, University of Illinois, Chicago.