Constitutional Limits and the Public Sphere: A Critical Study of Bentham's Constitutionalism

(Hardback)

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The place of utility as a critical theory of human existence has been largely discredited and its potential undermined in the course of modern debates in ethical, political and legal theory. The central intuition that guides the argument of this book is that both the technical and reductionist methodology associated with utilitarianism do not do justice to the theory which identifies the maximisation of pleasure as the most fundamental self-interest of man.

Reviews

This is a sophisticated, densely-argued, original book, which engages in current jurisprudential debates in an informed and subtle manner. [] The interpretation offered demonstrates breadth and imagination and will inevitably be controversial. ...this is a stimulating and thought-provoking book, one which gives ample evidence of the vibrancy of current work on the thought of Jeremy Bentham, and which makes an important contribution to Bentham studies and to jurisprudence in general. -- Michael Lobban, University of London * Dublin University Law Journal *
This is a strikingly original piece of work that makes a welcome contribution to legal theory, political theory and Bentham studies. It makes rich use of the new Collected Works and of unpublished manuscripts....well-written ...this excellent book succeeds in its main purpose: it confirms Bentham's importance as a resource for contemporary political-theoretical reflection -- Stephen G. Engelmann * Political Studies *

Author Bio

Oren Ben-Dor is a Lecturer in Law at the University of Southampton.