CT scans reveal Jeremy Bentham's severe dental pain influenced his philosophy

Researchers at University College London used high‑resolution CT scanning on the preserved skull of Jeremy Bentham, the 18th‑century philosopher who founded modern utilitarianism, and found he suffered from severe dental decay and a chronic jaw infection that would have caused excruciating pain in the months before his death in 1832. The scan, performed in March 2024, revealed extensive cavities, abscesses and bone loss in the maxilla and mandible, indicating that Bentham endured chronic infection that likely contributed to his frailty and final decline.

Bentham’s body was famously embalmed and displayed as an “auto‑icon” after his death, a practice that has kept his physical remains a subject of scholarly interest for two centuries. The new imaging study, led by forensic anthropologist Dr Megan Lewis, is the first non‑invasive examination of his cranial remains since the 19th‑century autopsy. Understanding Bentham’s health provides a rare glimpse into the lived experience of a thinker whose ideas about pain, pleasure and the greatest good for the greatest number have shaped modern ethics, law and public policy. Scholars have long debated whether his personal suffering influenced his moral calculus, and the new data adds a tangible dimension to that debate.

The scan shows multiple large carious lesions on the upper incisors, a periapical abscess at the left canine and severe osteomyelitis of the jawbone, conditions that would have caused constant throbbing and difficulty eating. “These findings suggest Bentham lived with chronic, debilitating pain that he could not easily treat, given the limited dental care of his era,” Lewis said. The research team plans to publish a detailed report in the Journal of Archaeological Science later this year and hopes the methodology can be applied to other historical figures. By mapping the progression of his disease, historians may better assess how personal health intersected with Bentham’s philosophical work, offering fresh insight into the man behind the doctrine of utilitarianism.