An Alternative View of the European Idea of the Common Good: Bentham’s Mathematical Model of Utility

This paper aims to explore the contribution that Jeremy Bentham gave to the shaping of the idea of the common good, by contextualising his view in the larger framework of the European political, social and philosophical debates on this topic. The idea of the common good is, in fact, at the heart of European identity and thought, and provides a specific model of social coexistence. An investigation into Bentham’s contribution requires thus clarification of the philosophical roots of the common good as a European idea. Bentham’s model of the common good, which depends on his conception of utility, appears to be inspired by mathematics, to the extent that it entails weighing different reasons for acting and calculating their utility, i.e. their ability to increase pleasure and reduce pain. Despite the appearances of this mathematical approach, Bentham’s idea of the common good is not exclusive in the sense that it implies the achievement of the good only for the majority; on the contrary, the common good at which Bentham aims is an inclusive ideal, which progressively involves all members of the community.