JB/028/112/001

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and consists in supposing them to stand
for something that is fixed and settled certain, and that all men
are agreed about. This is not the case. A regulation
lies before me. I look at it, and pronounce
that it is manifestly contradictory "unreasonable": that it is what is it that
I mean by this? just thus much and no more;
viz: that I my reason, i:e: I myself, applying
to it that faculty in me which is called reason,
do not approve of it. I go farther. I cry out⊞ ⊞ (to use still the expression of our Author) I cry out
that it is "manifestly contrary to common reason" –
what mean I here? still no more than that it is
what I readily and strongly disapprove of, conceiving
at the same time that it will be equally alike disapproved
of by most others.⊞ ⊞ To confess that as against other men's opinion he has no other warrant for his own opinion than itself, is what a man few men indeed will never bring himself themselves to indeed so long as he can help it. Nothing is more shocking to man's price, nor galling to his impatience. Yet this being the case, it were lit it should be understood; and that, use what expressions of positiveness we will. When all comes to
all, reasonableness or unreasonableness, is nothing but
conformity or nonconformity to, at least can be decided
by nothing but, opinion. The question here
then is whose opinion shall be the standard?
that of the Legislature, or that of the Judge? Of him
whose office is to make his Will be Law, or of
him whose office is no other than to find out
that will and carry it into effect? As to "common
reason", or the reason of the majority of the
people who use their reason about the matter,
whose reason is it most to be apprehended should

Identifier: | JB/028/112/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 28.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	028	Main Headings	comment on the commentaries
Folio number	112	Info in main headings field	construction
Image	001	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	3
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f33 / b34 / f35
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks	[[watermarks::[gr with crown motif] propatria [britannia motif]]]
Marginals	jeremy bentham	Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	9377
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