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Oct 3, 2017 · The philosopher's severed head was stolen by rival King's College and later recovered, but not before being damaged by a botched preservation attempt. Learn how UCL is exhibiting the head and studying its DNA for science and history.
Mar 5, 2020 · The philosopher's auto-icon, a wax head and preserved body, is now in a glass case at University College London. Bentham donated his body to science and asked to be displayed as an image of himself after death.
- Who Was Jeremy Bentham?
- Why Is Bentham's Body on Show?
- What Is His Connection to UCL?
- Where Was Bentham Originally Placed on Display?
- What About His head?
- Where Is Jeremy Bentham Now?
- Why Was He moved?
- What Was The Response?
- Anything Else to Know?
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Jeremy Bentham(1748-1832) was a philosopher and political radical, who formulated the theory of utilitarianism, which argues that an action is right if it creates happiness in the greatest number of people, and wrong is if it produces the opposite effect.
In his will, Bentham requested that his body be preserved and fashioned into what he called an "auto-icon", a task which was carried out by his friend, surgeon Thomas Southwood Smith.
Although not directly responsible for the foundation of UCLin 1826 — as is often stated — Bentham was nevertheless very supportive. He believed in equal education for all, one of the university's founding principles. His body was given to the university by Smith in 1850, 18 years after his death.
For decades, Jeremy Bentham's body was on display in a corridor of the Wilkins Buildingat UCL, housed inside a wooden cabinet. The head is made of wax (see below), but the rest of his real skeleton lurks beneath his clothes.
While the skeletal remains and wax head of Bentham remain in the Student Centre, his actual headremains out of public view elsewhere at UCL. The head was once stolen in a prank by students from the rival King's College, and has ever since been kept under lock and key.
The philosopher is now in a much more visible location in the atrium of UCL's Student Centre. In place of the wooden box, he now resides in a fully transparent case.
Christina McGregor, Head of Collections Management at UCL Culture, said in a statement: "Bentham’s new home provides greatly enhanced preservation conditions, better visitor access and a place at the centre of the student community."
While many on social media appear to be pleased with the move, others miss his former home. LSE philosophy professor Michael Otsuka started a Twitter threadabout the Bentham relocation, in which commenters raise a number of objections and opinions. The new display has been described as 'undignified', like a 'department store mannequin', and potenti...
The UCL Student Centre is expected to be Bentham's permanent resting spot. The atrium is open to visitors from 7am-7pm each day. For more information check outUCL.
Learn about the philosopher Jeremy Bentham, his preserved body and his auto-icon on display at UCL. Find out why his head was once stolen and how it is kept safe now.
- Alex Corey
People also ask
Who is Jeremy Bentham?
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"His head has never been stolen by another university," Kingham confirms. Causer says there is reason to believe the wax head was stolen by King's College in the 1990s, but never the real...
Oct 4, 2017 · An eccentric English philosopher's decomposing severed head is on display at a top UK university. Tom Murray. Oct 4, 2017, 4:29 AM PDT. Jeremy Bentham's actual severed head, now on...
Unfortunately for Bentham, the attempt to mummify his head went badly, leaving the skin on his face discoloured and stretched. Accordingly, the mummified head was replaced by a head made of wax. Bentham’s auto-icon was acquired by University College London (UCL) in 1850 and was subsequently displayed there.
Oct 4, 2017 · The philosopher's mummified head, which was replaced by a wax replica after a failed experiment, is part of an exhibit on death and science. Bentham's head may also be studied for Asperger's syndrome and his body will travel to New York.
