Elements of moral philosophy: analytical, synthetical, and practical

Front matter

I --I fl-i I I ■ n Kail Brothers,

Hj BOOKSEIXERS,

■ I ELMIRA., N. Y.

Part I The Natubal Motive Powers

CHAPTEE I.— DIVISION of the mental poweks.

The mental powers and exercises divisible into two general classes. Their mutual dependence. The motive powers of two kinds. Each kind defined. The states and exercises of the motive powers, natural or moral. Illustrations, . . 21

Chapter Ii.— Natxjkal Appetite

Two natural appetites. Their object. Errors respecting them. Undue indulgence. Undue severity. Their relation to pleasure. Illustrations. Design of the gifts of Providence, .......... 92

CHAPTEE III.— MOEBID APPETITE,

Diseased by nature. Vitiated in childhood. Injured by indulgence, bad example, false association of ideas, wanton imagination, recklessness of the future. End of such indulgence, Eules for controlling appetite, . . . . .43

CHAPTEE IV, — NATtTBAL AFFECTION.

Distinction between affection and desire ; between natural and moral affection. Parental affection ; filial ; fraternal ; conjugal. General view of the domestic affections. Social affection. Patriotism, , , . . . . .52

CHAPTEE v.— NATURAL DESIRE,

Distinction between desire and appetite. Desire of life ; of happiness ; of society ; of knowledge; of esteem; of owning; of power. The designs of the Creator learned from our constitutional powers, . . . . . .65

CONTENTS.

CHAPTEE YI.— XATUEAL emotion.

Various emotions. How designated. Emotions of beauty ; of sublimity ; of terror ; of the ludicrous ; of surprise and wonder. Simultaneous Emotions. Objective causes of emotion. Unclassified emotions. Distinction between emotion and affection ; between emotion and desire, . . . . . .88.

CHAPTEE VII.— NATURAL VOLITION.

When volition is strictly natural. Distinction between volition and rational will. Natural agency of volition over the body. Voluntary, semivoluntary, and involuntary movements. Agency of volition over the intellectual powers, . . 95

Part II. The Rational Motive Powees

CHAPTEE I.— CONSCIENCE.

Terms indicating duty in all languages. Intellect concerned in ascertaining duty ; conscience in securing the performance of it. Intuition or pure reason ; apprehends the first truths of all sciences. Definition of conscience. Not a simple mental faculty or moral sense. Includes the reason and the susceptibility to moral distinctions. Has three functions, ...... lOS

CHAPTEE II.— vAKiors views of conscience.

Not a moral judgment. Not a moral sense. Not a teacher, like the senses, but must itself be taught. Tendencies of the difi"erent views. Disastrous effects of making an unreasonable conscience a guide. "We ought always to obey conscience ; also to enlighten it, so as to act reasonably. How men should be incited to duty, . 116

CHAPTEE III.— DIKECTIONS FOR THE CULTTJEE OP CONSCIENCE.

Enlighten the understanding. Have singleness of purpose. Mistake not other impulses for it. Do no violence to scruples. Obey it promptly. Obedience must be determined and persistent. Often review the past. In view of failures repent and reform. Be grateful for success. The demands of conscience must never be resisted, ........... 129

CHAPTEE IV.— TASTE.

Definition. Man without taste. Conscience and taste combined. Their comparative importance. Illustrations. Every person has his own ideal of beauty. The ideal in advance of the executive ability. Taste independent of the outer world. Examples. Design of taste. Culture of it, 18S

CHAPTEE v.— WILL.

What we mean by will. In what sense acts of will are caused. The law of cause and effect in the moral world unlike that in the natural. Occasional and efficient

CONTENTS.

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causes. How the will is determined. Objective and subjective motives. Distinction between the will and the affections. View of Edwards. The will may resist the affections ; also the other feelings. "When acts of will are rational and responsible, ..... .... 152

Part III. Moral Action

CHAPTEE I.— MORALLY EIGHT AFFECTION.

Defined. "What it includes. Love a right affection. Instinctive in its origin. Conscience commends it. Christianity enjoins it. The affection due to God. Eight domestic affections. Conjugal love; parental; filial; fraternal. Eight social affection. Eight affection for bad men ; for enemies. Philanthropy, . . 165

CHAPTEE II. — MOBALLT WEONG AFFECTIOK.

Views of Eeid and others. Malevolence never right. "We do not need it. True self-defence. Instinctive and deliberate resentment. "We were not made to hate. Malevolent affection in every form condemned by Christianity, . . . 182

CHAPTEE III. — MORALLY EIGHT DESIEE.

Of two kinds. Self-love. "What it includes. Desire for the welfare of others should embrace all mankind. Views of infidel writers. Morality and Christianity agree. Various developments of benevolent desire, ..... 195

CHAPTEE IV.— MORALLY WEONG DESIEE.

Distinction between retaliation and self-defence. Covetousness. "When desires are covetous. "When the desire of pleasure is wrong. Emulation. Views of Butler, Eeid, and others. Eemarks upon them. Concessions of the advocates of rivalry, 296

CHAPTEE V. — MOEALLY EIGHT EMOTION.

Passionate emotion ; when right. Emotion of love ; of sympathy ; of forgiveness ; of gratitude; of penitence; of humility; of confidence; of self-approbation, . 226

CHAPTEE VI.— MOEALLY WEONG EMOTION.

Emotion of hatred never right Emotion of anger; of revenge; of envy ; of pride; of jealousy; of remorse; of despair, ....... 233

CHAPTEE VII.— MORALLY EIGHT WILL.

Moral will defined. Agency of will over the appetites ; over the affections ; over the desires ; over the emotions. Moral certainty does not impair freedom. Courage. Fortitude. Firmness, ......... 24T

10 CONTENTS.

CHAPTER VIII.— MORALLY WKONG WILL.

Man's rational powers distinguished from the man himself. We are alike responsible for the use of our natural, and of our rational powers. No degree of excitement exonerates from responsibility. An extreme case of excitement of appetite ; of affection; of desire; of emotion. Permanent wrong choice. Stoicism. Cowardice. Obstinacy, 257

CHAPTES IX.— souECB of the morality of actions.

Yarious views. Now mostly reduced to three : that which places the source in the affections and desires ; that which places it in the will ; and that which makes man a machine. Pantheism. Nature of a radical moral change. Characteristic distinction of an upright man, ....... 26T

Part IV. Principles

I. NATURAL PRINCIPLES OF MORALITY.

CHAPTER I. — theories of the law of right.

Principles of morality defined. They are essential, and positiA^e. The arbitrary theory. The greatest happiness theory. The highest good theory. The subjective theory. Objections to these several theories. Some of them embrace more truth than others, but neither embraces the whole truth, ..... 2T9

CHAPTER II.— first principles.

All sciences have them. How known. Learned in the concrete. First ideas of right and wrong. Principles objective. Yirtues subjective. Grounds in which principles are apprehended. Principle of temperance ; of chastity ; of benevolence ; of justice; of veracity; of fidelity; of gratitude. Maybe universally known, . 294

CHAPTER III.— morality taught by experience.

How duty is learned by experience. Paley. When we are responsible for consequences. When indulgence is immoral. Fashion and dress. Conflict of taste with utility. The principle of prohibitory laws. Morality of amusements. The test by which to try them, ........ 870

II. REVEALED PRINCIPLES OF MORALITY.

CHAPTER lY. — morality of Christianity.

Relation of Christianity to our several faculties : to the appetites ; affections ; desires ; emotions ; conscience ; taste ; will. Its standard of appeal, . . .320

CONTENTS. 11

CHAPTEE v.— KEVBALED FACTS OF OHKISTIANITT.

Existence and perfections of the true God. Creation of man. His primitive purity. Origin and extent of human sinfulness. The dispensation of grace. The certainty of future existence and retributions. Eesurrection of the body. Principles of duty deduced from these facts, ....... 330

CHAPTEE VI.— INSTITITTIONS OF CIIKI8T1ANITT.

The Sabbath. The primitive Sabbath. The Mosaic Sabbath. The Christian Sabbath. Eeasons for the change. How the day should be observed, . . 336

CHAPTEE VII.— INSTITUTIONS of cheistianitt continued.

Marriage. "When instituted. Its nature and design. Polygamy not of divine origin. The marriage covenant binding for life.

Public Wokship. An institution of the Mosaic religion. Modified and perpetuateel by Christianity. The nature of the worship required.

The Chuech. Instituted by Christ and his apostles. Planted by them in various places. Its ordinances. The enhanced privilege and obligation of those to whom Christianity is given, ......... 344