Jeremy Bentham

Jeremy Bentham invented utilitarianism. The origin of much 19^th Century Social Policy – a rather gruesome story about his preserved body is set out below….

Few people would relish the prospect of their lifeless skeleton being wired up, stuffed into sawdust-filled clothing, bundled into a crate and shipped to the US for museum-goers to gawk at.

But for British philosopher Jeremy Bentham, it is almost certainly what he would have wanted.

The social reformer who died in 1832, insisted that his body be preserved after his death as an ‘auto-icon’ which could be wheeled out at parties if his friends were missing him.

A notable eccentric, Bentham called his walking stick Dapple, his teapot Dickey, and kept an elderly cat named The Reverend Sir John Langbourne.