BENTHAM (1748-1832)
Jeremy Bentham was an English philosopher, jurist and social reformer. He is known as one of the founders of the utilitarian movement.
Bentham's philosophy is generally a moral philosophy. Bentham and Mill thought that the legal and social reform initiatives necessary to establish a secular moral order should be made according to the ethical theory they created. Since the primary condition for success in every field is to be scientific, Bentham tried to base ethics and politics on scientific foundations and wanted to formulate the evaluation criteria as quantitative criteria.
Humans, who naturally strive to obtain pleasure and avoid pain, reach moral good according to the general benefit principle, "the results of our chosen actions and behaviors should be able to produce the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people." Bentham's utilitarianism is not egoistic selfish utilitarianism but a universal action utilitarianism.
According to Bentham, the law is related to increasing the total happiness of the community. People should be discouraged from actions that cause pain or evil. The pain of punishment should prevent or eliminate greater pain.
According to Bentham, unity of interests cannot be achieved in monarchy, because the monarch aims for his own interests and the happiness of a special class grouped around him. Since the rulers come from among the people, are elected as representatives of the people, and promise to achieve and maintain the greatest good, democratic rule is closer to achieving the happiness of the majority.
MILL (1806-1873)
John Stuart Mill is an English philosopher, economist, and social reformer. Mill develops Bentham's understanding of utilitarianism, and individual freedom, women's rights, and pluralism are the main topics he deals with. He is an advocate of the liberal view of man and society.
Happiness indicates the absence of pain and pleasure. Unhappiness means the absence of pleasure and pain. Mill thinks that pleasures or pains cannot be measured scientifically and that it is not enough to consider pleasures only in terms of quantity. In addition to the lower pleasures that provide physical satisfaction that Bentham suggested for measurement, there are also higher pleasures such as rational, intellectual and aesthetic pleasures.
According to Mill, human nature must be improved and perfected. As the education of emotions in society develops, the common good and happiness become the greater goal. One of the primary elements of human happiness is the free development of individual personality. Moreover, this also develops and enriches society. As long as it does not hinder the freedom of others or incite others to commit crimes, the freedom of the individual should not be restricted. People should be able to express their thoughts and beliefs freely. Mill is in favor of the state's minimum intervention in social life, a free economy and democratic institutions.
Mill also draws attention to certain dangers inherent in the democratic form of government, and states that the majority can oppress the minority. In order to prevent despotism, restrictions should be imposed on the actions of the government. It should also be prevented from deviating into excessive bureaucratic practices.
He also uses the experimental method of science in the fields of psychology and sociology, which he calls moral sciences. All phenomena in nature are the unconditional result of the law of causality.