The Philosopher Who Asked If They Suffer

Jeremy Bentham was born on 15 February 1748 in Houndsditch, London, and became the founder of modern utilitarianism, the idea that the right action is the one that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number. In a footnote to his 1780 manuscript, later published as An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, he took on the standard justifications for excluding animals from moral concern. He pointed out that a grown horse or dog is more rational and more able to communicate than a human infant, so reason and speech cannot be the test that matters. He proposed a different one instead, and it is the line the modern animal rights movement still stands on.