When people argue against a proposed measure on the grounds that it violates “the rights of man” – or, as we would say today, human rights – they are, Bentham claims, using vague generalities that distract us from assessing the measure’s utility. Bentham accepts that it may be to the advantage of the community that the law should confer certain rights on people.
边沁认为，当人们以违反“人类权利”——或者用今天的话说，违反人权——为由反对一项方案时，他们用模糊的概括误导我们评估方案的功利（utility）。边沁同意，法律应该授予人们一定的权利，这也许有利于社会。他指出，可能让我们迈向无政府主义的是这样的观点：我已经有了一些权利，这与法律无关。功利原理要求调查和论证，但边沁认为主张这些先验权利的人蔑视调查和论证，并且更有可能鼓动人们使用暴力。