Bentham's An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation

A Guide

Steven Sverdlik (Autor)

Buch | Softcover

344 Seiten

2023
Oxford University Press Inc (Verlag)
978-0-19-008991-7 (ISBN)

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Bentham's An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation is often considered the first work of the philosophical school of utilitarianism and is thus a vital text for students of philosophy. In this comprehensive guide to the text, Steven Sverdlik provides an entry point into this important work, examining the text in its entirety and highlighting its central claims and their relevance to contemporary discussions in a variety of fields.

Sverdlik works through the chapters of Bentham's text sequentially, explaining and evaluating the work's main themes. The Guide emphasizes Bentham's original goal of introducing a utilitarian penal code. Sverdlik explains Bentham's fundamental moral claims and principles: the principle of utility, his hedonistic theory of intrinsic value, and his claims about the measurement of pleasure and pain. Bentham also discusses at length human action, motivation, and decision. Sverdlik discusses these ideas in general terms, and then examines how Bentham applies them in the context of penal or criminal law. All of this lays the groundwork for a careful discussion of Bentham's treatment of the deterrence of potential offenders, the punishment of convicted offenders, and the criminalization of various types of behavior. By restating Bentham's arguments in contemporary philosophical terms, Sverdlik allows readers to see how his thinking connects to current debates about the criminal justice system.

This guide provides a systematic contemporary overview of Bentham's Introduction that will be valuable to undergraduate philosophy students, as well as students and scholars with a working knowledge of basic philosophy who are interested in criminal law, moral philosophy, and moral psychology.

Steven Sverdlik has taught Philosophy at Southern Methodist University in Dallas since 1982. His main interests are philosophy of criminal law, the history of moral philosophy, and moral psychology. His previous works include Motive and Rightness (2011).

1. Introduction
2. Bentham's Preface
2. Bentham's Chapter I
3. Bentham's Chapter II and the Formal Argument
4. Bentham's Chapter III
5. Bentham's Chapter IV
6. Bentham's Chapter V
7. Bentham's Chapter VI
8. Bentham's Chapter VII
9. Bentham's Chapter VIII
10. Bentham's Chapter IX
11. Bentham's Chapter X
12. Bentham's Chapter XI
13. Bentham's Chapter XII
14. Bentham's Chapter XIII
15. Bentham's Chapter XIV
16. Bentham's Chapter XV
17. Bentham's Chapter XVI
18. Bentham's Chapter XVII and the Concluding Note
19. Glossary
20. Bibliography
21. Index

Erscheinungsdatum	30.01.2023
Reihe/Serie	OXFORD GUIDES TO PHILOSOPHY SERIES
Verlagsort	New York
Sprache	englisch
Maße	210 x 141 mm
Gewicht	395 g
Themenwelt	Geisteswissenschaften ► Geschichte ► Regional- / Ländergeschichte
Themenwelt	Geisteswissenschaften ► Philosophie ► Ethik
ISBN-10	0-19-008991-1 / 0190089911
ISBN-13	978-0-19-008991-7 / 9780190089917
Zustand	Neuware