Jeremy Bentham and the Utilitarian Tradition Course Code:
LAWSG021A/LAWSG021 LAWSG021A: One 3000 word essay LAWSG021: 3
hour unseen examination Credit Value: 15/30 About this course
This course offers a unique opportunity to study the ideas of
Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and his continuing influence,
particularly on his most famous disciple, John Stuart Mill.
Bentham, famous as a jurist, philosopher and political
scientist, was inspirational in the foundation and early
development of UCL. His theories of utility, law, sovereignty,
fallacies, fictions, judicial evidence, prison reform and
constitutional government have had immense influence on the
subsequent development of a number of key disciplines relevant
to public policy, including both economics and law. In this
course, Bentham's ideas are related to the social, political,
and intellectual context of his own time, and an assessment is
made of their significance for the utilitarian tradition in law,
morals and politics. Consideration is given to the contin