SOC 1500 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Jeremy Bentham, Tabula Rasa, First Principle

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 1500
• Professor: Stephanie Howells

Document Summary

Without social contract, chaos would be order of the day. Believed people would choose state with government as opposed to one. John locke without: people were born with a personality equipping them for the intellectual abilities required to navigate through life, blank slate at birth. Social interaction and human experience shapes the person. The classical school of criminology: beccaria, believed punishment should be formulated for the purpose of deterrence. Further offending would not be committed by offenders themselves or by others of like mind. Jeremy bentham: utilitarianism the belief that reason requires decisions to be made according to what will procure the greatest good for the greatest number. Believed society is or should be based on social contract where liberties are exchanged for freedoms: punishment needs to be severe, certain, and swiftly applied. Thought judges should not have the power to exercise complete discretion in passing a sentence: should be equal to the crime determinant sentencing.