Methods of Ethics

第57章

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第57章

Methods of Ethics Henry Sidgwick

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Methods of Ethics
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  Ithinkthatthoughthestrugglemightbeginasaduelbetweenresentmentandcompassion,orbetweenloveofeaseandloveofgain,itwouldnotbefoughtoutinthelistssodrawn;sincehighermotiveswouldinevitablybecalledinastheconflictwenton,regardforjusticeandsocialwell-beingonthesideofresentment,regardforhealthandultimateefficiencyforworkonthesideofloveofease;anditwouldbetheinterventionofthesehighermotivesthatwoulddecidethestruggle,sofarasitwasdecidedrightlyandasweshouldapprove。Thiscertainlyiswhatwouldhappeninmyowncase,ifthesupposedconflictwereatallseriousanditsdecisiondeliberate;andthisconstitutesmyfinalreasonforholdingthatsuchascaleasDr。Martineauhasdrawnup,ofmotivesarrangedaccordingtotheirmoralrank,canneverhavemorethanaverysubordinateethicalimportance。

  Iadmitthatitmayservetoindicateinaroughandgeneralwaythekindsofdesireswhichitisordinarilybesttoencourageandindulge,incomparisonwithotherkindswhichareordinarilylikelytocompeteandcollidewiththem;andwemightthussettlesummarilysomeofthecomparativelytriflingconflictsofmotivewhichthevaryingandcomplexplayofneeds,habits,interests,andtheiraccompanyingemotions,continuallystirsinourdailylife。Butifaseriousquestionofconductisraised,Icannotconceivemyselfdecidingitmorallybyanycomparisonofmotivesbelowthehighest:

  itseemstomethatthequestionmustinevitablybecarriedupfordecisionintothecourtofwhatevermotiveweregardassupremelyregulative:sothatthecomparisonultimatelydecisivewouldbenotbetweenthelowermotivesprimarilyconflicting,butbetweentheeffectsofthedifferentlinesofconducttowhichtheselowermotivesrespectivelyprompt,consideredinrelationtowhateverweregardastheultimateendorendsofreasonableaction。Andthis,Iconceive,willbethecoursenaturallytakenbythemoralreflectionnotonlyofutilitarians,butofallwhofollowButlerinregardingourpassionsandpropensionsasformingnaturallya``systemorconstitution’’,inwhichtheendsoflowerimpulsesaresubordinateasmeanstotheendsofcertaingoverningmotives,orarecomprehendedaspartsintheselargerends。

  Isthere,then,nopossibilityofattaining,byamoreprofoundanddiscriminatingexaminationofourcommonmoralthought,torealethicalaxioms——intuitivepropositionsofrealclearnessandcertainty?

  Thisquestionleadsustotheexaminationofthatthirdphaseoftheintuitivemethod,whichwascalledPhilosophicalIntuitionism。Forweconceiveitastheaimofaphilosopher,assuch,todosomewhatmorethandefineandformulatethecommonmoralopinionsofmankind。Hisfunctionistotellmenwhattheyoughttothink,ratherthanwhattheydothink:heisexpectedtotranscendCommonSenseinhispremises,andisallowedacertaindivergencefromCommonSenseinhisconclusions。Itistruethatthelimitsofthisdeviationarefirmly,thoughindefinitely,fixed:thetruthofaphilosopher’spremiseswillalwaysbetestedbytheacceptabilityofhisconclusions:ifinanyimportantpointhebefoundinflagrantconflictwithcommonopinion,hismethodislikelytobedeclaredinvalid。Still,thoughheisexpectedtoestablishandconcatenateatleastthemainpartofthecommonlyacceptedmoralrules,heisnotnecessarilyboundtotakethemasthebasisonwhichhisownsystemisconstructed。Rather,weshouldexpectthatthehistoryofMoralPhilosophy——sofaratleastasthosewhomwemaycallorthodoxthinkersareconcerned——wouldbeahistoryofattemptstoenunciate,infullbreadthandclearness,thoseprimaryintuitionsofReason,bythescientificapplicationofwhichthecommonmoralthoughtofmankindmaybeatoncesystematisedandcorrected。

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