date

Headings and some notes in text by Bentham
Headings and some notes in text by Bentham, text in the hand of Colls.

1821 March 3

Jug. Util and True

10

Plan of the Work

Part III. Revealed at large. Verity considered.

10

 Here copy the titles of the Chapters. Note by Bentham in red ink.

Part III.

On the usefulness of Supposed Revealed Religion at large—verity considered.

Ch.1.

Notion that belief is the only safe course, and that therefore a deaf ear should be turned to all disprobative arguments: its absurdity and fallaciousness exposed.

Ch.2.

The facts assumed are, in all supposed Revealed Religions, destitute of all support from trustworthy evidence: the falsity of the statement is always more probable than the verity of it. No judicial decision would be regarded as warranted by such evidence.

Ch.3.

Supposed proof from miracles—its improbativeness. Witnesses, none: miracle non: nothing but the report of one.

Ch.4.

Supposed proof from predictions—its disprobativeness.

§.1. Predictions, supposed preternatural, classed.

§.2. Relation between supposed supernatural predictions, and other miracles.

Ch.5.

D r. Campbel's answer. Belief is the work of sense. Sense being infallible, belief proves the truth of everything believed—the absurdity exposed.

Ch.6.

D r. Price's answer to the objection of improbability—improbabilities are continually happening—the fallacy exposed.

Ch.7.

Propensity to believe improbable things—its causes natural and factitous

§.1. Man at large—why credulous—credulous in proportion to their ignorance /ignorance the cause and measure of credulity/

§.2. Medical men—why incredulous.

§.3. Factitious, or less immediate causes—Priestcraft—groundless fear, from invisible sources, employed as an instrument of dominion. See Part II. Ch.8.
Similar Items
  • Title: [Headings of page and each column and some]
    Description: Headings of page and each column and some alterations by Bentham, the text predominantly in the hand of Colls.

    31 July 1815

    Jug. True.

    Ch.1. Analytic Sketch

    1

    §.1. Evidence probative

    §.1. Evidence probative.

    §.2. Evidence disprobative

    12. Inappositeness of his citations from the Prophets in support of his pretensions.
  • Title: [21 Jan y 1814 Jug. True Ch]
    Description: 21 Jan y 1814

    Jug. True

    Ch.3. Natural Evidence

    7

    This incidental deficiency in the article of belief, could it on the part of the sort of persons in question have had for its cause any natural or extraordinary aversion to the proof of extraordinary things—any natural or preternatural propensity to disbelief or doubt? In all places at all times propensity to the belief of extraordinary and improbable things has been strong not in the inverse but in the direct ratio of the prevalence of ignorance and error. Very ignorant and copiously stocked with errors especially in comparison with modern times were the minds of the people who in those places were living in those times if this every page of those same histories contributes to assure use. To a large and indefinite extent, according to those same histories, among those very people, facts which according to those same histories were extraordinary—extraordinary in the same ways and at the same time false, failed not to obtain credence. (a)

    Among the very same set of people—in the very same circles, in relation to the very same species of facts, unbelief and belief are in and by those same histories stated as prevalent: unbelief? and on the part of what persons? in relation to what sort of facts? in relation to those very facts which in these same histories are declared to be true, belief again? and in relation to what individual facts? in relation to those individual facts which in and by those same histories were at the same time stated as false.
  • Title: [20 July 1810 25 Fallacies Ch. |]
    Description: 20 July 1810 25

    Fallacies Ch. | | Authority worshipper

    3

    . 4. Churchman's Sinister interest

    of The sinister interests to the action of which the probity of a Churchman stands exposed the following circumstances of his condition may be stated as the sources.

    1. On his entrance into his profession, and as a condition of his being admitted to a sahre in the priviledges /advantages of all kinds/ attached to it, he has made a solemn and deliberate and solemn and notorious declaration, asserting his belief of the truth of a large collection of propositions framed so long ago as the 1562, (+) and of which the date consideration being had of the ignorance and violence of the times and /compared with/ the obscurity of the subject constitute of itself in every reflecting mind a conclusive proof of its contacting a multitude of propositions absurd in themselves and so absurd as not to be capable of being really believed /on which ground no absurdity so gross but may be and has been believed or endeavoured to be believed/ on any other ground than that of mere authority, by any man at present.