幸福と人間像 (完) : ベンタムの幸福の槪念について (Ｉ)

Abstract

Since ancient times the problem of happiness has been a subject of dispute--always a difficult and yet vital problem in the history of ethics. Utilitarianism, as a modern form of eudaemonism, likewise could not avoid this fate, being exposed to several attacks, censures, and misunderstandings on account of its principle of happiness. Like the ancient hedonists, the utilitarians also always remained a minority. Notwithstanding the role which they played in the social theories and actual life in England was very great. It interests us, therefore, to try correctly to understand the contents of happiness as the principle of utilitarianism and fairly to appraise its adequacy and meaning. Here is precisely the aim of this paper. Bentham's idea of happiness is expressed briefly in the proposition 'the greatest happiness of the greatest number'. As this proposition indicates, his utilitarianism must be distinguished from ancient hedonism which aimed mainly at individual happiness. As we examine the adequacy of Bentham's idea of happiness, we ought to do it in reference to the following three points : 1. its objective actuality, 2. its generality, and 3. its necessity (to be an essential value). But if it were only abstractly discussed, the discussion would result in a failure because of its vagueness. Therefore, to avoid this result, we shall study his idea of happiness in reference to the sort of man presupposed by him and the social situation of his times. In a word, the sort of man presupposed by him is a capitalistic man and the situation in which he lives is that of the early capitalistic society in England. According to Bentham, the concrete contents of his idea of happiness refer, materially, to the supply of subsistence and abundant production; and, formally, to the promotion of equality and the maintainance of security. The former two things were the objective which a capitalistic man actually pursued while the latter two corresponded to the main actual conditions of the early capitalistic society. Accordingly, Bentham's idea of happiness is nothing but an expression of happiness which such a man pursued in such a society. In this respect, then, we may find its objective actuality. But the only immanent principle of a capitalistic man is that of egoism. Notwithstanding, it is founded on 'the dependence of man upon his fellow-men', or the social mechanism supported by the division of labour and exchange, so that each individual's pursuit of happiness based on egoism does not result in a war but in a certain harmony of happiness of the greatest number. In this social mechanism each individual's pursuit of happiness, being mediated by mutual dependence, not only loses its egoistic character but also acquires a social meaning in respect of mutual service; such pursuits are now in a sense in harmony with each other. Indeed, this sort of harmony can be found only within a specific social group, e. g. within the middle and lower classes. But since the greater part of the society at that time was composed of these two classes, Bentham's idea of happiness, expressed in the above-mentioned proposition, has its generality in this sense. Having examined the first two of the above-mentioned three points, we may be allowed to conclude that Bentham's idea has at least some, though not all, of the important features which are necessary to its adequacy. As for the examination of its necessity, the paper could not enter it for want of space. It will be made the subject of a later study.