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Elle, sorry, unlimited means remove the two outside letters in futility.

Hi rusty
I don't have the clue to hand any more, but isn't (f)UTILIT(y) a bit ghost-like?

Elle, missed out a bit!
"Some" is "impressive", "soak" is "ret", and "S" for sulphur.

Hello, Chris,
Ghost-like?
I do not comprehend you?

Hi again rusty
A "ghost anagram" is a clue in which the anagram fodder is not actually present, but must be imagined from word play. It's generally disapproved of. I wondered if the "futility" was heading in that direction? As I said, I no longer remember the actual clue.

OK Chris, well I have not a scooby about that, but the clue is,
1,"Bentham's idea: unlimited pointlessness based on heresy (14)"
I do not know names of different types of clues, but I thought that was a reasonably straightforward solve.

Yes, I suppose "unlimited pointlessness" is just about OK for "utilit"

I think so.
Seems a fair enough clue to me.

Yes. I think it would have been a fairer (though much easier) clue as "unlimited futility". I don't think that it would have mattered that it was easier, though, as I expect that most people would have said "utilitarianism " from "Bentham's idea", then parsed it afterwards.

Hi, Rusty!
Oh dear......It is all becoming more complicated by the minute!
Yes, Bath is in Somerset...I had that for the definition........
But have never heard of "some" used in that context, meaning "impressive"?
And do not understand "soak" as meaning "ret"?
I have never come across the word "ret"?
I knew of Jeremy Bentham - that is how I came up with "utilitarianism" as the definition, but couldn't parse the rest of it.
I can see where you are going with your explanation , though - thank you for helping me.
"Ghost" anagrams? - this crossword lark is hard labour!