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Several references have been made to possible philosophical sources for some of Freud's metapsychological theories (5), (7), (17). In the course of recent reading in the field of legal philosophy, several quotations were encountered from the works of the philosopher, Jeremy Bentham, which had such a ring of Freudian theory that I was stimulated to explore further the works of this man.
Jeremy Bentham was born in 1748 and is well known to lawyers, philosophers, and economists for his works on legal reform, and a philosophical theory known as 'Utilitarianism'. Though he studied for the bar and was admitted to it around 1776, most of his life was spent in his favourite pursuit, studying the rationale of the legal process. He formulated many model legal codes, some of which resulted in modifications in English law as long as fifty years after his death, in 1832 (6). During his career he worked with a group of students and close associates, and it is through the writings of one of these, John Stuart Mill, that influence upon psycho-analysis might have been effected. It will be recalled that early in his career Freud undertook the translation of several of the essays of Mill for Theodor Gomperz, the editor of Mill's collected writings in German (8).
Before attempting to trace the lines of contact between Freud and Bentham, let us briefly describe some of his ideas which are of special interest to psycho-analysts. Bentham in his work was always an extremely thorough and logical person, and he laid down his theories in painfully minute detail. He started by setting problems for himself, for which he examined every logical solution, before deciding which one fitted most appropriately. It is in such a work, An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, published in 1789, that he lays down his theory of individual and social dynamics.
This book opens with the statement, 'Nature has placed mankind under the governance of two sovereign masters, pain and pleas