Moral science : a compendium of ethics

BOOK 1 70. B 16 c. 1 BAIN # MORAL SCIENCE s Book may be kept oi; TfFO fFEEKS r

MORAL SCIENCE:

A OOMPEISTDIUM OF ETHICS.

BY

ALEXANDER BAm, M. A.,

AUTHOR OF " MENTAL SCIENCE : A COMPETTDIXJM OF P9TCHOLOOY ; " " THB

BENSES AND THE INTELLECT;" "'THE ijMOTIONS AND THE WILL;" "A

MANUAL OF RHETORIC ; " PROFESSOR OF LOGIC IN THE ITNIVBRSITT

OF ABERDEEN, ETC., ETC., ETC.

NEW YORK •:• CINCINNATI •; CHICAGO

AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY.

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1869, by

D. APPLETON & COMPANY,

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern

District of New York.

loNC)^

Preface

The present Dissertation falls under two divisions.

The first division, entitled The Theory of Ethics, givea an account of the questions or points brought into discussion, and handles at length the two of greatest prominence, the Ethical Standard, and the Moral Faculty.

The second division — on The Ethical Systems — is a full detail of all the systems, ancient and modern, by conjoined Abstract and Summary. With few exceptions, an abstract is made of each author's exposition of his own theory, the fulness being measured by relative importance ; while, for better comparing and remembering the several theories, they are summarized at the end, on a uniform plan.

The connection of Ethics with Psychology is necessarily intimate ; the leading ethical controversies involve a reference to mind, and can be settled only by a more thorough understanding of mental processes.

Although the present volume is properly a continuation of the Manual of Psychology and the History of Philosophy, recently published, and contains occasional references to that treatise, it may still be perused as an independent work on the Ethical Doctrines and Systems.

A. B.

Table Of Contents

PAET I.

THE THEORY OF ETHICS.

Chapter I. Preliminary View Of Ethical Questions

PAGS

I. — The Ethical Standard. Summary of views 15

[. — Psychological questions. 1. The Moral Faculty. 2. The

Freedom of the Will ; the sources of Disinterested conduct 17

HI. — The BoNDM, Summum Bonum, or Happiness 18

IV. — The Classification of Duties, and the Moral Code 19

V. — Relationship of Ethics to Politics ib.

VI. — Relation to Theology i6.

Chapter II. The Ethical Standard

1. Ethics, as a department of Practice, is defined by its End 20

2. The Ethical End is the welfare of society, realized through rules

of conduct duly enforced ib.

2. The Rules of Ethics are of two kinds. The first are imposed under a penalty. These are Laws proper, or Obligatory Morality ib,

4. The second are supported by Rewards ; constituting Optional

Morality, Merit, Virtue, or Nobleness 21

5. The Ethical End, or Morality, as it has been^ is founded partly in

Utility, and partly in Sentiment 23

6. The Ethical End is limited, according to the view taken of Moral

Government, or Authority : — Distinction between Security and

Improvement 24

1. Morality, in its essential parts, is ' Eternal and Immutable ; ' in

other parts, it varies with custom 26

6 COKTENTS.

PAGB

8. Enquiry as to the kind of proof that an Ethical Standard is

susceptible of. The ultimate end of action must be referred to individual judgment 26

9. The judgment of Mankind is, with some qualifications, in favour

of Happiness as the supreme end of conduct 27

10. The Ethical end that society is tending to, is Happiness, or

Utility 28

11. Objections against Utility. I. — Happiness is not the sole aim of

human pursuit 3C

12. II. — The consequences of actions are beyond calculation 31

13. III. — The principle of Utility contains no motives to seek the

happiness of others 32

Chapter III. The Moral Faculty

1. Question whether the Moral Faculty be simple or complex 34

2. Arguments in favour of its being simple and intuitive : — First, Our

moral judgments are immediate and instantaneous ib.

3. Secondly, It is a faculty common to all mankind ib.

4. Thirdly, It is diiferent from any other mental phenomenon 35

5. Replies to these Arguments, and Counter-arguments: — First;

Immediateness of operatinn is no proof of an innate origin. . . . ib.

6. Secondly, The alleged similarity of men's moral judgments holds

only in a limited degree. Answers given by the advocates of an Innate sentiment, to the discrepancies ib.

7. Thirdly, Moral right and wrong is not an indivisible property, but

an extensive Code of regulations 37

8. Fourthly, Intuition is not sufficient to settle debated questions . . 38

9. Fifthly, It is possible to analyze the Moral Faculty : — Estimate

of the operation of (1) Prudence, (2) Sympathy, and (3) the Emotions generally 39

10. The peculiar attribute of Rightness arises from the institution of

Government or Authority 41

11. The speciality of Conscience, or the Moral Sentiment, is identi-

fied with our education under Government, or Authority. 42

Contents

PAET II.

THE ETRICAL SYSTEMS.

pAoa ! SoKRATES. His subjects were Men and Society. His Ethical Standard indistinctly expressed. Resolved Virtue into Knowledge, Ideal of pursuit — Well-doing. Inculcated self-denying Precepts. Political Theory. Connexion of Ethics v i;;h Theology slender 46

Book Fourth. Liberality. Magnificence. Magnanimity. Mildness. Good-breeding. Modesty 76

Book Fifth. Justice : — Universal Justice includes all virtue. Particular Justice is of two kinds, Distributive and Corrective , . 79

Book Sixth. Intellectual Excellences, or Virtues of the Intellect. The Rational part of the Soul embraces the Scientific and the Deliberative functions. Science deals with the necessary. Prudence or the Practical Reason ; its aims and requisites. In virtue, good dispositions must be accompanied with Prudence 81