Final answer:
Jeremy Bentham believed we are governed by the 'sovereign masters' of pain and pleasure, which form the basis of his utilitarian philosophy, asserting that the morality of actions is judged by their ability to increase pleasure and reduce pain for the majority.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Jeremy Bentham, we are governed by two sovereign masters, which are 2) pain and pleasure. Bentham's philosophical approach, known as utilitarianism, posits that our actions are motivated by the desire to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. These principles suggest that the moral value of our actions is determined by how well they promote happiness or reduce suffering for the majority.
Utilitarianism is described as hedonistic because it is based on the assumption that pleasure dictates what is good, and pain dictates what is bad. This framework evaluates the moral rightness of an action by its consequences, specifically, whether it produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number. Therefore, the desires to pursue pleasure and avoid pain are fundamental in understanding how utilitarianism guides moral decision-making.