date

1821 March.2. Jug. Util and True
1821 March.2.

Jug. Util and True

11

Plan of the Work

Part IV. Christianity—Verity considered.

11

IV. In Part the fourth, the religion of Jesus is the individual—supposed religion to which the examination is confined. On this occasion the precedence is given to the question of verity, before the question of usefulness. / If this is done, give the reasons: viz. it being less irritative than the display of the mischievousness, while the Verity remains unimpeached /unconfuted./ This parenthetic note is in red ink. Of this priority, the reason is—that, in case of any particle of belief still remaining, the display of the mischievousness of the doctrines attributed to Jesus could scarce fail of being productive of a correspondent degree of irritation, which in the case of the utter extirpation of the belief would have no place.

Still in this part, the point of view in which the question of verity is considered is but general: the arguments against it being such as require not the entering into details. By this means likewise matter of irritation /for the present discarded /omitted// in particular more especially affecting his person and character left to be displayed in another part in their full colours.

To this part belongs the Chapters, of which the following are the titles. In each of them proof is given of some general proposition tending to remove the supposition of any supernatural character or commission from any supernatural power in the case of Jesus.

 This note in red ink.In the next leaf copy these titles.
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  • Title: [Headings and some notes in text by Bentham]
    Description: 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.
  • Title: [1821 March 10 A Jug Util]
    Description: 1821 March 10

    A

    Jug Util

    1

    Plan of the Work

    1

    At The following paragraph is in red ink and crossed through in pencil. the end of each Part state the classes of Christian who will never remain unshocked, [...?] them by the tenets.[?]

    I. [...?] Part 1. believers in the Verity of Nat. Rel. [...?] Part 2. d o in believers in Rev. Relgi. it not Verity [...?] Part 3. Believers—Verity Rev d Religion intent or to admitt its inutility in this life, [...?] [...?] in d o, with reference to future d o.

    Design and Plan of a work to be entitled The usefulness of Religion to the present life examined.

    This work has for its ends in view two distinguishable though naturally /continually/ and inseparably connected objects: the freeing men considered in their individual capacity, from those terrors and useless privations of which the belief of supernatural agency is the source: and the serving men in their political capacity by destroying the force of these same terrors in so far as in addition to the powers of government they are employed as instruments in the hands of the ruling few in the oppression of the subject many.

    A source of misery and an instrument of misrule of misery direct, and of misery through misrule: such in a word are the characters, in which in this [...?] religion is [...?] in all its forms or to speak more [...?] the /a/ belief of a supernatural agency such the motives and causes of the attack which on this occasion is made on it.

    Of the eight parts into which the plan of the /[...?]/ work produced by the design may be considered indivisible the title above mentioned belongs not directly speaking to any more than the first: though it may perhaps be advisable that this and the second should appear at the same time.
  • Title: [1821 Oct. 14. Jug. Util. Plan]
    Description: 1821 Oct. 14.

    Jug. Util.

    Plan of Procedure

    Rule 4. (For the avoidance of irritation) make use upon occasion of this parenthesis—Revelation apart. This caution was observed and frequently employed in Bentham Introduction to Morals and Legislation L n 1789.

    Rule 5. (For avoidance of irritation) In the attack on supposed Revealed Religion, commence with supposed Revealed Religion considered in all its shapes. The argument will thus be much less irritative than if pointed in the first instance against the supposed Revealed Religion of Jesus.