Tag Archives: Bentham

So tell me Jeremy, what’s the utility in that!?

Photo by Michael Reeve

Photo by Michael Reeve

Did you know Jeremy Bentham, the self-proclaimed eudaimonist (later referred to as utilitarian), put a stipulation in his will which stated his clothed skeleton was to be preserved… and after thinking about it for a while, this actually does maximize my happiness, so thank-you Jeremy.

The more interesting part of the story is his rotting head was sitting on the floor near his feet (the one in the picture is a wax replica), and had been stolen by students at University College London (where the auto-icon, the box Bentham is in, currently rests)– his noggin has been locked away for its safe keeping.

Could you imagine stealing Bentham’s head? It sounds like fun to me.