Study Questions for Jeremy Bentham's
An Intro to the Principles of Morals and Legislation
in Cahn and Markie, eds., Ethics (2009)
The numbers following the questions correspond to the page numbers and columns in the text.
1. What does Bentham mean when he says that "nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters"? (319.1, section 1)
2, What is utility and what is the principle of utility? (319.1-2, sections 2-3)
3. What is meant by the interest of the community, and who or what is included in this community? (section 4)
4. How are the community and the individuals who compose it related? (319-320, section 5)
5. What ends should legislatures keep in mind when formulating laws and public policies? (320.1, sections 6-8)