The Atlas Obscura Podcast Jeremy Bentham’s Auto-Icon
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Mar 26, 2025 Liz Blanks, the Curator of UCL Science Collections, shares fascinating insights into Jeremy Bentham's peculiar posthumous display as an auto-icon. Discover how this radical philosopher embraced mortality, donating his body to science and blending eccentricity with enlightenment. The discussion highlights his contributions to medical education in 18th century England and the quirky traditions at UCL surrounding his remains. Dive into Bentham's philosophical legacy and the amusing mishaps that accompanied the preservation of his skeleton and head!
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Bentham's Auto-Icon
- Jeremy Bentham's preserved body, dressed in 19th-century clothing and topped with a wax head, is displayed at University College London.
- This unusual display, called the "auto-icon," sits in the student center where students regularly pass by.
Bentham's Utilitarian Philosophy
- Jeremy Bentham, known as the father of utilitarianism, planned his death meticulously, aiming to be useful even after death.
- He advocated for body dissection for medical education to address the cadaver shortage and championed radical ideas like universal suffrage and decriminalizing homosexuality.
Bentham's Quirks
- Bentham held some controversial beliefs like phrenology and designed the Panopticon prison.
- He also lived eccentrically, naming his walking stick and cat, adhering to a strict schedule, and writing extensively.