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Single Idea 3781

[filed under theme 23. Ethics / E. Utilitarianism / 2. Ideal of Pleasure ]

Full Idea

It behoves the legislator to understand the force of pleasures and pains, which is their value.

Gist of Idea

The value of pleasures and pains is their force

Source

Jeremy Bentham (Intro to Principles of Morals and Legislation [1789], IV.1)

Book Ref

Mill,John Stuart: 'Utilitarianism (including On Liberty etc)', ed/tr. Warnock,Mary [Fontana 1962], p.64


The 9 ideas from 'Intro to Principles of Morals and Legislation'

Is 'productive of happiness' the definition of 'right', or the cause of it? [Ross on Bentham]
Of Bentham's 'dimensions' of pleasure, only intensity and duration matter [Ross on Bentham]
Bentham thinks happiness is feeling good, but why use morality to achieve that? [Annas on Bentham]
Pleasure and pain control all human desires and duties [Bentham]
The community's interest is a sum of individual interests [Bentham]
Unnatural, when it means anything, means infrequent [Bentham]
We must judge a thing morally to know if it conforms to God's will [Bentham]
The value of pleasures and pains is their force [Bentham]
Large mature animals are more rational than babies. But all that really matters is - can they suffer? [Bentham]