|
|
Article: Bentham, Jeremy
- Article from:
- West's Encyclopedia of American Law
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 The Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
BENTHAM, JEREMY
"Every law is an infraction of liberty."
—
Jeremy Bentham
Described as a philosopher, jurist, and reformer, Jeremy Bentham is possibly best known as one of the leading proponents of utilitarianism. Although he was a devoted scholar who spent much of his life writing about legal reform, he published little. Regardless, Bentham had a profound effect on the politics of his day, influenced many of his contemporaries (including eminent British philosopher john stuart mill), and introduced a number of terms and definitions, which are still used today in the study of philosophy, economics, and politics.
Bentham was born February 15, 1748, in Houndsditch, near London, ...