Editing Utilitarianism (section)

==== Principle of utility ====
Bentham's work opens with a statement of the principle of utility:<ref>[[Jeremy Bentham|Bentham, Jeremy]]. 1780. "[http://www.koeblergerhard.de/Fontes/BenthamJeremyMoralsandLegislation1789.pdf#page=43 Of The Principle of Utility]." Pp. 1–6 in ''[[An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation]]''. London: T. Payne and Sons. (Also available as [https://www.utilitarianism.com/jeremy-bentham/#one eText], [[wikisource:An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation/Chapter I|Wikisource]]). p. 1.</ref>

{{blockquote|Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleasure. It is for them alone to point out what we ought to do.{{nbsp}}... By the principle of utility is meant that principle which approves or disapproves of every action whatsoever according to the tendency it appears to have to augment or diminish the happiness of the party whose interest is in question: or, what is the same thing in other words to promote or to oppose that happiness. I say of every action whatsoever, and therefore not only of every action of a private individual, but of every measure of government.|author=|title=|source=}}