A table of the springs of action : shewing the several species of pleasures and pains, of which man's nature is susceptible: together with the several species of interests, desires, and motives, respectively corresponding to them: and the several sets of appellatives, neutral, eulogistic and dyslogistic, by which each species of motive is wont to be designated: to which are added explanatory notes and observations ... / By Jeremy Bentham, Esq.

Jeremy Bentham Rollweiser

Date:: 1817

Credit: A table of the springs of action : shewing the several species of pleasures and pains, of which man's nature is susceptible: together with the several species of interests, desires, and motives, respectively corresponding to them: and the several sets of appellatives, neutral, eulogistic and dyslogistic, by which each species of motive is wont to be designated: to which are added explanatory notes and observations ... / By Jeremy Bentham, Esq. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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TABLE OF THE SPRINGS OF ACTION. IT. OBSERVATIONS. § I. Pleasures and Pains the basis of all the other entities,: these the only real ones ; those, fictitious. Among all the several species of psychological entities, the names of which are to be found either in the Table of the Springs of Action, or in the Explanations above sub- joined to it, the two which are as it were the roots,—the main pillars ox foundations of all the rest,—the matter of which all the rest are composed—or the receptacles of that matter,—which soever may be the physical image, employed to give aid, if not existence to conception, will be, it is believed, if they have not been already, seen to be, Plea- sures and Pains. Of these, the existence is matter of uni- versal and constant experience. Without any of the rest, these are susceptible of,—and as often as they come un- looked for, do actually come into,—existence : without these, no one of all thoseothers ever had, or ever could have had, existence. True it is, that, when the question is—what, in the case in question, are the springs of action, by which, on the oc- casion in question, the mind in question has been operated upon, or to the operation of which it has been exposed,—the species of psychological entity, to be looked out for in the first place, is the motive. But, of the sort of motive, which has thus been in operation, no clear idea can be entertained, otherwise than by reference to the sort of pleasure or pain, which such motive has for its basis : viz. the pleasure or pain, the idea, and eventual expectation, of which, is con- sidered as having been operating in the character of a mo- tive.

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