Jeremy Bentham, English philosopher, economist, and theoretical jurist, the earliest and chief expounder of utilitarianism, which states that an action is right if it tends to promote happiness and wrong if it tends to produce the reverse of happiness. They also held that we ought to maximize the good, that is, bring about ‘the greatest amount of good for the greatest number’. Jeremy Bentham – 1748-1832. Review Bentham’s biography, analyze his classical theory of utilitarianism and examine his contribution to prison design. Benthamism, the utilitarian philosophy founded by Jeremy Bentham, was substantially modified by his successor John Stuart Mill, who popularized the word 'Utilitarianism'. Bentham’s version is contained in his works ‘The Principles of Morals and Legislation’. He was the eldest son of Alicia Whitehorn, née Grove, who on 3 October 1745 had entered into he second marriage with Jeremiah Bentham, a successful practitioner in the Court of Chancery. Biography. Jeremy Bentham was born in Houndsditch, London on 15 February 1748. As people, we tend to avoid pain and seek pleasure. This meant that some abhorrent acts were permitted. The theory of utilitarianism is most often attributed to Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. Jeremy Bentham is the founder of an approach to moral philosophy called Utilitarianism. Benthamism, the utilitarian philosophy founded by Jeremy Bentham, was substantially modified by his successor John Stuart Mill, who popularized the word 'Utilitarianism'. Part 1: The motivation of human beings It is a teleological theory that can essentially be divided into three parts. Bentham’s version is contained in his works ‘The Principles of Morals and Legislation’. 4 February 1747] – 6 June 1832) was an English philosopher, jurist, and social reformer regarded as the founder of modern utilitarianism.. Bentham defined as the "fundamental axiom" of his philosophy the principle that "it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong." Utilitarians is some thing that thinks morality is to give higher level of happiness and pleasure and reduce bad items such as pain and unhappiness. The theory of utilitarianism is most often attributed to Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill. He was the elder son of an attorney, Jeremiah Bentham (1712–92) and his first wife, Alicia Whitehorn (d. 1759), and brother to Samuel (1757–1831), a naval architect and diplomat. Jeremy Bentham was born into a rich family ,educated at Westminster school and then advanced his studies at Queen’s College, Oxford. Etymology. He was initially a lawyer but was soon, however became disillusioned with the law, with his experience, he soon started criticizing laws, suggesting and devising methods for improvements of the law system. Utilitarianism is a moral and legal theory, with origins in classical philosophy, that was famously propagated in the 18th and 19th centuries by Jeremy Bentham.