Goldworth, Amnon.

Biographical History

In 1983 SJSU Philosophy Professor Amnon Goldworth published "The Collected Works of Jeremy Bentham: Deontology Together with the Springs of Action and the Article of Utilitarianism," (Oxford University Press), which represents the culmination of Goldworth’s efforts to edit and transliterate the collected works of Bentham into a single volume.

English philosopher Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832), was born in London on February 15, 1748. He was educated at Oxford University College, and studied law, for which he developed a profound mistrust. From this mistrust developed a lifelong devotion to working out a theory of law that would codify and reform both civil and penal law. He is known today for his moral philosophy, especially his principle of utilitarianism--a moral act is one which produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.

Bentham deposited his papers with the University of London. The depository was created when, at his death in London on June 6, 1832, Bentham left tens of thousands of manuscript pages. He also left a large estate, which was used to finance the newly-established University College in London and his cadaver, per his instructions, was dissected, embalmed, dressed, and placed in a chair, which to this day resides in a cabinet in a corridor of the main building of University of London College.

Committed to enriching student understanding of Bentham's philosophy, Goldworth gathered together Bentham’s philosophical works in a single manuscript, which he edited and translitereated.

From the guide to the Amnon Goldworth Research Collection, Bulk, 1814-1829, 1814-1980, (SJSU Special Collections & Archives)