Quotes from Jeremy Bentham

A civilized society must count animals as worthy of moral consideration and ethical treatment. The question is not, Can they reason? nor Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?

As to the evil which results from a censorship, it is impossible to measure it, for it is impossible to tell where it ends.

The said truth is that it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong.

It is the greatest good to the greatest number of people which is the measure of right and wrong.

He who thinks and thinks for himself, will always have a claim to thanks; it is no matter whether it be right or wrong, so as it be explicit. If it is right, it will serve as a guide to direct; if wrong, as a beacon to warn.

The law of England has established trial by judge and jury in the conviction that it is the mode best calculated to ascertain the truth.

All punishment is mischief. All punishment in itself is evil.

The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation.

The principle of asceticism never was, nor ever can be, consistently pursued by any living creature. Let but one tenth part of the inhabitants of the earth pursue it consistently, and in a day's time they will have turned it into a Hell.

Lawyers are the only persons in whom ignorance of the law is not punished.

Tyranny and anarchy are never far apart.

Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet.

The power of the lawyer is in the uncertainty of the law.

Is it possible for a man to move the earth? Yes; but he must first find out another earth to stand upon.

Create all the happiness you are able to create; remove all the misery you are able to remove. Every day will allow you, --will invite you to add something to the pleasure of others, --or to diminish something of their pains.

the rarest of all human qualities is consistency.

Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet.

in no instance has a system in regard to religion been ever established, but for the purpose, as well as with the effect of its being made an instrument of intimidation, corruption, and delusion, for the support of depredation and oppression in the hands of governments.

Happiness is a very pretty thing to feel, but very dry to talk about.

No power of government ought to be employed in the endeavor to establish any system or article of belief on the subject of religion.

Every law is an infraction of liberty.

Is it possible for a man to move the earth? Yes; but he must first find out another earth to stand upon.

Reputation is the road to power

Bodies are real entities. Surfaces and lines are but fictitious entities. A surface without depth, a line without thickness, was never seen by any man; no; nor can any conception be seriously formed of its existence.