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Of the four of other ingredients in the value of a pleasure
there will be perpetual occasion to make mention
under their respective names: the whole option of
the ensuing disquisitions in a manner turns upon them.
Of these two last there will hardly be equal occasion to
make mention, at least under these names. For in
taking an account of the physiological effects of any
mode of conduct the more simple way is to
consider the several pleasures and pains it is productive
of by themselves; [setting the sum of the pleasures
on one side of the account, and that of the pains
on
the other that of the pains.] instead of bringing in all
the subsequent pleasures and pains in the lump, by
way of appendages to the first. For each of them in
order to the obtaining a true estimate of its' value,
must be examined considered under the same four heads under
which the value of the first was taken.
The idea of considering happiness as resolvable
into a number of individual pleasures, I took from Helvetius
: before whom whole time it can scarcely be said to have had a meaning
. [This is directly contrary to the doctrines laid down
in Cicero's Tusculan disputations; which book,
like many most of the other philosophical writings of that
great master of language, is nothing but a heap of
nonsense.] The idea of analysing when the value of each
sensation by analysing it into these four ingredients
I took from M. Beccaria: gleaning up those several
articles from different places in which I saw these a
to the made use of in estimating the force and of made of punishments. Considering that punishment
was is but pain applied to a certain purpose, and
that the value of a pleasure is susceptable of the of the
same articles analysis and that pains and pleasures, and
actions in as far as they had a tendency to produce
or prevent the one and the other were all that morals and
politics or so much is was of any use or meaning in those sciences had in view, it seemed to me that such an
analysis was the very thing that was wanted as the
foundation for a compleat system of moral science.
I had already proceeded some way length in building upon
that foundation when Maupertuis's essay on Moral
Philosophy fell into my hands. That ingenious philosopher
whose work is prior of a date some years to that of M.
Beccaria, proceeds upon the same idea of making
such an analysis the foundation for his ground work
He had however pursued it but by halves, omitting
to take not taking any account of the two articles of proximity
and certainty. Besides this omission he fell into a very melancholy
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027 |
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034 |
pleasures and pains - how measured |
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jeremy bentham |
[[watermarks::w [britannia with shield motif]]] |
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