第56章

类别:其他 作者:Henry Sidgwick字数:6249更新时间:18/12/26 16:30:38
Inthefirstplace,ithastobedecidedwhetherwearetoincludeinourlistofmotivestheMoralSentiments,orimpulsestowardsparticularkindsofvirtuousconductassuch,e。g。Candour,Veracity,Fortitude。Itseemsunwarrantabletoexcludethem,assuchsentimentsareobservableasdistinctandindependentimpulsesinmostwell-trainedminds,andwesometimesrecognisetheirexistenceinconsiderableintensity,aswhenwespeakofamanbeing`enthusiasticallybrave’,or`intenselyveracious’,oras`havingapassionforjustice’。 Atthesametimetheiradmissionplacesusinthefollowingdilemma。Eithertheobjectsoftheseimpulsesarerepresentedbytheverynotionsthatwehavebeenexamining——inwhichcase,afterwehavedecidedthatanyimpulseisbetterthanitsrival,alltheperplexitiessetforthinthepreviouschapterswillrecur,beforewecanactonourdecision;forwhatavailsittorecognisethesuperiorityoftheimpulsetodojustice,ifwedonotknowwhatitisjusttodo?——orifinanycasetheobjectwhichamoralsentimentpromptsustorealiseisconceivedmoresimply,withoutthequalificationswhichacompletereflectiononCommonSenseforcedustorecognise;then,asthepreviousinvestigationshows,weshallcertainlynotfindagreementastotherelationbetweenthisandotherimpulses。 Forexample,adispute,whethertheimpulsetospeakthetruthoughtoroughtnottobefollowed,willinevitablyarisewhenVeracityseemsopposedeithertothegeneralgood,ortotheinterestsofsomeparticularperson; thatis,whenitconflictswith`particular’or`universal’benevolence。 Hutchesonexpresslyplacestheselatterimpulsesinahigherrankthan``candour,veracity,fortitude’’;reservingthehighestmoralapprobationfor``themostextensivebenevolence’’or``calm,stable,universalgoodwilltoall’’。[1]Butthisview,whichcoincidespracticallywithUtilitarianism,wouldcertainlybedisputedbymostIntuitionalmoralists。Again,someofthesemoralists(asKant)regardallactionsasbad——ornotgood——whicharenotdonefrompureregardfordutyorchoiceofRightasRight:whileHutcheson,whorepresentstheoppositepoleofIntuitionalEthics,equallydistinguishestheloveofVirtueasaseparateimpulse;buttreatsitasatonceco-ordinateinrankandcoincidentinitseffectswithuniversalBenevolence。 So,again,moralistsdivergewidelyinestimatingtheethicalvalueofSelf-love。 ForButlerseemstoregarditasoneoftwosuperiorandnaturallyauthoritativeimpulses,theotherbeingConscience:nay,inapassagebeforequoted,heevenconcedesthatitwouldbereasonableforConsciencetoyieldtoit,ifthetwocouldpossiblyconflict。Othermoralists(andButlerelsewhere) appeartoplaceSelf-loveamongvirtuousimpulsesunderthenameofPrudence: thoughamongthesetheyoftenrankitratherlow,andwouldhaveityieldincaseofconflict,tonoblervirtues。Others,again,excludeitfromVirtuealtogether:e。g。Kant,inoneofhistreatises,saysthattheendofSelf-love,one’sownhappiness,cannotbeanendfortheMoralReason;thattheforceofthereasonablewill,inwhichVirtueconsists,isalwaysexhibitedinresistancetonaturalegoisticimpulses。 Dr。Martineau,whosesystemisframedonthebasisthatIamnowexamining,attemptstoavoidsomeofthedifficultiesjustpointedoutbyrefusingtoadmittheexistenceofanyvirtuousimpulsesexceptthe``preferenceforthesuperiorofthecompetingspringsofactionineachcase’’ofaconflictofmotives。``I cannotadmit’’,hesays,``eitherthelovesofVirtues——ofcandour,veracity,fortitude——orthevirtuesthemselves,assomanyadditionalimpulsesoverandabovethosefromtheconflictofwhichtheyareformed。 Idonotconfessmyfaultinordertobecandid?unlessIamaprig,Ineverthinkofcandour,aspredicable,orgoingtobepredicable,ofmeatall。’’[4]Iamnot,however,surewhetherDr。MartineaureallymeanstodenytheexistenceofpersonswhoactfromaconsciousdesiretorealiseanidealofCandourorFortitude,orwhetherhemerelymeanstoexpressdisapprovalofsuchpersons:intheformersensehisstatementseemstomeapsychologicalparadox,inconflictwithordinaryexperience:inthelattersenseitseemsanethicalparadox,affordingastrikingexampleofthatdiversityofjudgmentsastotherankofmotives,towhichIamnowdrawingattention。 ButevenifweputoutofsighttheMoralsentimentsandSelf-love,itisstillscarcelypossibletoframeascaleofmotivesarrangedinorderofmerit,forwhichwecouldclaimanythinglikeaclearconsent,evenofcultivatedandthoughtfulpersons。Ononeortwopoints,indeed,weseemtobegenerallyagreed;e。g。thatthebodilyappetitesareinferiortothebenevolentaffectionsandtheintellectualdesires;andperhapsthatimpulsestendingprimarilytothewell-beingoftheindividualarelowerinrankthanthosewhichweclassasextra-regardingordisinterested。Butbeyondafewvaguestatementsofthiskind,itisverydifficulttoproceed。Forexample,whenwecomparepersonalaffectionswiththeloveofknowledgeorofbeauty,orthepassionfortheidealinanyform,muchdoubtanddivergenceofopinionbecomemanifest。Indeed,weshouldhardlyagreeontherelativerankofthebenevolentaffectionstakenbythemselves;forsomewouldpreferthemoreintense,thoughnarrower,whileotherswouldplacethecalmerandwiderfeelingsinthehighestrank。Oragain,sinceLove,aswesaw,isacomplexemotion,andcommonlyincludes,besidesthedesireofthegoodorhappinessofthebeloved,adesireforunionorintimacyofsomekind;somewouldconsideranaffectionmoreelevatedinproportionastheformerelementpredominated,whileotherswouldregardthelatterasatleastequallyessentialtothehighestkindofaffection。 Again,wemaynoticetheloveofFameasanimportantandwidelyoperativemotive,whichwouldberankedverydifferentlybydifferentpersons:forsomewouldplacetheformer``spurthattheclearspiritdothraise’’amongthemostelevatedimpulsesafterthemoralsentiments; whileothersthinkitdegradingtodependforone’shappinessonthebreathofpopularfavour。 Further,themorewecontemplatetheactualpromptingsthatprecedeanyvolition,themoreweseemtofindcomplexityofmotivetheruleratherthantheexception,atleastinthecaseofeducatedpersons: andfromthiscompositionofimpulsesthereresultsafundamentalperplexityastotheprinciplesonwhichourdecisionistobemade,evensupposingthatwehaveaclearviewoftherelativeworthoftheelementaryimpulses。 Forthecompoundwillgenerallycontainnoblerandbaserelements,andwecanhardlygetridofthelatter;since——asIhavebeforesaid——thoughwemayfrequentlysuppressandexpelamotivebyfirmlyresistingit,itdoesnotseempossibletoexcludeitifwedotheacttowhichitprompts。 Suppose,then,thatweareimpelledinonedirectionbyacombinationofhighandlowmotives,andinanotherbyanimpulsethatranksbetweenthetwointhescale,howshallwedecidewhichcoursetofollow?Suchacaseisbynomeansuncommon:e。g。aninjuredmanmaybemovedbyanimpulseofpitytosparehisinjurer,whilearegardforjusticeandadesireofrevengecombinedimpelhimtoinflictpunishment。Or,again,aJewofliberalviewsmightberestrainedfromeatingporkbyadesirenottoshockthefeelingsofhisfriends,andmightbemovedtoeatitbythedesiretovindicatetruereligiouslibertycombinedwithalikingforpork。Howarewetodealwithsuchacaseasthis?Foritwillhardlybesuggestedthatweshouldestimatetherelativeproportionsofthedifferentmotivesanddecideaccordingly;——qualitativeanalysisofourmotivesistosomeextentpossibletous,butthequantitativeanalysisthatthiswouldrequireisnotinourpower。 Butevenapartfromthisdifficultyarisingfromcomplexityofmotives,Ithinkitimpossibletoassignadefiniteandconstantethicalvaluetoeachdifferentkindofmotive,withoutreferencetotheparticularcircumstancesunderwhichithasarisen,theextentofindulgencethatitdemands,andtheconsequencestowhichthisindulgencewouldleadinanyparticularcase。Imayconvenientlyillustratethisbyreferencetothetable,drawnupbyDr。Martineau,ofspringsofactionarrangedinorderofmerit。 LOWEST。 SecondaryPassions:——Censoriousness,Vindictiveness,Suspiciousness。 SecondaryOrganicPropensions:——LoveofEaseandSensualPleasure。 PrimaryOrganicPropensions:——Appetites。 PrimaryAnimalPropension:——SpontaneousActivity(unselective)。 LoveofGain(reflectivederivativefromAppetite)。 SecondaryAffections(sentimentalindulgenceofsympatheticfeelings)。 PrimaryPassions:——Antipathy,Fear,Resentment。 Causalenergy:——LoveofPower,orAmbition;LoveofLiberty。 SecondarySentiments:——LoveofCulture。 PrimarySentimentsofWonderandAdmiration。 PrimaryAffections,ParentalandSocial;with(approximately)GenerosityandGratitude。 PrimaryAffectionofCompassion。 PrimarySentimentofReverence。 Thisscaleseemstomeopentomuchcriticism,bothfromapsychologicalandfromanethicalpointofview:[3]but,grantingthatitcorrespondsbroadlytothejudgmentsthatmencommonlypassastothedifferentelevationofdifferentmotives,itseemstomeinthehighestdegreeparadoxicaltolaydownthateachclassofmotivesisalwaystobepreferredtotheclassbelowit,withoutregardtocircumstancesandconsequences。Sofarasitistruethat``theconsciencesaystoeveryone,`Donoteattillyouarehungryandstopwhenyouarehungrynomore’’’,itisnot,Iventuretothink,becausea``regulativerightisclearlyvestedinprimaryinstinctiveneeds,relativelytotheirsecondaries’’,butbecauseexperiencehasshownthattoseekthegratificationofthepalateapartfromthesatisfactionofhungerisgenerallydangeroustophysicalwell-being;anditisinviewofthisdangerthattheconscienceoperates。Ifwecondemn``ashipcaptain’’,who,``caughtinafogoffaleeshore,neglects,throughindolenceandloveofease,toslackenspeedandtakecautioussoundingsandopenhissteam-whistle’’,itisnotbecauseweintuitivelydiscernFeartobeahighermotivethanLoveofEase,butbecausetheconsequencesdisregardedarejudgedtobeindefinitelymoreimportantthanthegratificationobtained:ifwetookacaseinwhichfearwasnotsimilarlysustainedbyprudence,ourjudgmentwouldcertainlybedifferent。 TheviewofCommonSenseappearsrathertobethatmostnaturalimpulseshavetheirproperspheres,withinwhichtheyshouldbenormallyoperative,andthereforethequestionwhetherinanycaseahighermotiveshouldyieldtoaloweronecannotbeanswereddecisivelyinthegeneralwayinwhichDr。Martineauanswersit:theanswermustdependontheparticularconditionsandcircumstancesoftheconflict。Werecogniseitaspossiblethatamotivewhichwecommonlyrankashighermaywronglyintrudeintothepropersphereofonewhichwerankaslower,justasthelowerisliabletoencroachonthehigher;onlysincethereisverymuchlessdangeroftheformerintrusion,itnaturallyfallsintothebackgroundinethicaldiscussionsandexhortationsthathaveapracticalaim。Thematteriscomplicatedbythefurtherconsiderationthatasthecharacterofamoralagentbecomesbetter,themotivesthatwerankas``higher’’ tendtobedeveloped,sothattheirnormalsphereofoperationisenlargedattheexpenseofthelower。Hencetherearetwodistinctaimsinmoralregulationandculture,sofarastheyrelatetomotives:(1)tokeepthe``lower’’motivewithinthelimitswithinwhichitsoperationisconsideredtobelegitimateandgoodonthewhole,solongaswecannotsubstituteforittheequallyeffectiveoperationofahighermotiveandatthesametime(2)toeffectthissubstitutionof``higher’’for``lower’’gradually,asfarascanbedonewithoutdanger,uptoalimitwhichwecannotdefinitelyfix,butwhichwecertainlyconceive,forthemostpart,asfallingshortofcompleteexclusionofthelowermotive。 ImayillustratebyreferencetothepassionofresentmentofwhichIbeforespoke。Theviewofreflectivecommonsenseis,Ithink,thatthemalevolentimpulsesodesignated,aslongasitisstrictlylimitedtoresentmentagainstwrongandoperatesinaidofjustice,hasalegitimatesphereofactioninthesociallifeofhumanbeingsasactuallyconstituted:that,indeed,itssuppressionwouldbegravelymischievous,unlesswecouldatthesametimeintensifytheordinaryman’sregardforjusticeorforsocialwell-beingsothatthetotalstrengthofmotivespromptingtothepunishmentofcrimeshouldnotbediminished。Itis,nodoubt,``tobewished’’,asButlersays,thatmenwouldrepresswrongfromthesehighermotivesratherthanfrompassionateresentment;butwecannothopetoeffectthischangeinhumanbeingsgenerallyexceptbyaslowandgradualprocessofelevationofcharacter:thereforesupposingaconflictbetween``Compassion’’,whichishighestbutoneinDr。Martineau’sscale,and’’Resentment’’,whichheplacesaboutthemiddle,itisbynomeanstobelaiddownasageneralrulethatcompassionoughttoprevail。Weoughtrather——withButler——toregardresentmentasasalutary``balancetotheweaknessofpity’’,whichwouldbeliabletopreventtheexecutionofjusticeifresentmentwereexcluded。 Orwemightsimilarlytaketheimpulsewhichcomeslowest(amongthosenotcondemnedaltogether)inDr。Martineau’sscale——the``LoveofEaseandSensualPleasure’’。Nodoubtthisimpulse,orgroupofimpulses,iscontinuallyleadingmentoshirkorscamptheirstrictduty,ortofallinsomelessdefinitewaybelowtheirownidealofconduct; hencetheattitudehabituallymaintainedtowardsitbypreachersandpracticalmoralistsisthatofrepression。Still,commonsensesurelyrecognisesthattherearecasesinwhicheventhisimpulseoughttoprevailoverimpulsesrankedaboveitinDr。Martineau’sscale;weoftenfindmenprompted——sayby``loveofgain’’——toshortenundulytheirhoursofrecreation;andinthecaseofaconflictofmotivesundersuchcircumstancesweshouldjudgeitbestthatvictoryshouldremainonthesideofthe“loveofeaseandpleasure’’,andthattheencroachmentof``loveofgain’’shouldberepelled。 Idonot,however,thinkthatineitheroftheseinstancestheconflictofmotiveswouldremainsuchasIhavejustdescribed: