Editing Jeremy Bentham (section)

=== Theory of Fictions ===
Bentham’s Theory of Fictions explored how language shapes thought, particularly in legal and political discourse. He distinguished between "fabulous entities", which are purely imaginary (e.g., literary or mythological figures like [[Prince Hamlet]] or a [[centaur]]), and "fictitious entities", which have no physical existence but are essential for reasoning (e.g., [[laws]], [[rights]], and [[obligations]]). Similar to [[Kant]]'s categories,{{sfn|Cutrofello|2014|p=115}} such as [[nature]], [[Convention_(norm)|custom]], or the [[social contract]],{{sfn|Murphy|2014|pp=61–62}} these fictitious entities help structure human understanding but do not exist independently.

While Bentham acknowledged the necessity of "fictitious entities" for communication, he warned that they could obscure truth and be manipulated for deception, especially in law. He viewed legal fictions — such as the notion of [[corporate personhood]] or [[sovereignty]] — as tools that could be either useful or misleading, depending on their application. His analysis influenced later thinkers in legal theory, philosophy of language, and utilitarian ethics, advocating for clarity and empirical reasoning in public affairs.