Bentham - philosoper

Human Nature For Bentham, morals and legislation can be described scientifically, but such a description requires an account of human nature. Just as nature is explained through reference to the laws of physics, so human behaviour can be explained by reference to the two primary motives of pleasure and pain; this is the theory of psychological hedonism. There is, Bentham admits, no direct proof of such an analysis of human motivation--though he holds that it …

… the extent to which the rights that Bentham defends are based on, or reducible to, duties or obligations, whether he can consistently maintain that such duties or obligations are based on the principle of utility, and whether the existence of what Bentham calls 'permissive rights'--rights one has where the law is silent--is consistent with his general utilitarian view. (This latter point has been discussed at length by H.L.A. Hart and David Lyons.)