| The purpose of this thesis is to examine Jeremy Bentham's proposal of the "panopticon" prison complex and to determine whether or not the structure as a concept is in accordance with his more well known work, the creation of the philosophy of utility. Bentham's publication, An Introduction to Principles of Morals and Legislation, introduced the world to the concept of utility, which puts forth the idea of "the greatest good for the greatest number" which is still very much a part of contemporary philosophy worldwide. The panopticon idea consisted of a prison with a unique style of architecture that would attempt to possibly subject its inhabitants to a form of behavioral modification resulting from the seeming omnipresence of the guards. While utility is widely discussed in books, articles, and theses, the panopticon is often ignored altogether, or mentioned briefly as an aside to the story of Bentham's life. When the panopticon does attract attention by an author, it is usually in the form of criticism the common perception is that it represented an aberration from the remainder of Bentham's work, especially utility. The great irony is that while the concept of utility was formulated as a young man, nearly two thirds of Bentham's life was dominated by work on the panopticon.Primary sources for this study consist of personal communication letters between Jeremy Bentham and various correspondents, his memoirs, as well as several of Bentham's published and unpublished works. These were supplemented by secondary sources, which provide insight into the debate surrounding both concepts, as well as other matters relevant to the history of this maligned institution. |
