Abstract:

Jeremy Bentham was a significant 18th-century philosopher and jurist. He is recognized as one of the principal representatives of utilitarianism and played a crucial role in its proliferation in modern thought. He is recognized as one of the principal representatives of utilitarianism and played a crucial role in its proliferation in modern thought. Bentham’s extensive works spanned a broad range of fields, including thought and language, which he identified as a medium for transmitting and producing ideas. Bentham found that the traditional method of definition, employed since Aristotle, was insufficient, particularly when attempting to define legal terminology. He proposed an alternative approach – the method of paraphrasis – to explain the names of fictional entities with ethical fictional entities, including legal terms. Firstly, this study presents Bentham’s theory of language and meaning which he developed within his ontology and epistemology. Subsequently, the method of paraphrasing, based on this theory, is explained by presenting the philosopher’s explanations of several legal terms. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of Bentham's initiative are assessed. The usefulness of Bentham's initiative for lawyers is evaluated.