第67章

类别:其他 作者:Henry Sidgwick字数:5952更新时间:18/12/26 16:30:38
Now,first,aconstantpartofthenotion,whichappearsinitevenwhentheJustisnotdistinguishedfromtheLegal,isimpartialityorthenegationofarbitraryinequality。Thisimpartiality,aswesaw(whetherexhibitedintheestablishmentorintheadministrationoflaws),ismerelyaspecialapplicationofthewidermaximthatitcannotberighttotreattwopersonsdifferentlyiftheircasesaresimilarinallmaterialcircumstances。AndUtilitarianism,aswesaw,admitsthismaximnolessthanothersystemsofEthics。Atthesametime,thisnegativecriterionisclearlyinadequateforthecompletedeterminationofwhatisjustinlaws,orinconductgenerally;whenwehaveadmittedthis,itstillremainstoask,``Whataretheinequalitiesinlaws,andinthedistributionofpleasuresandpainsoutsidethesphereoflaw,whicharenotarbitraryandunreasonable?andtowhatgeneralprinciplescantheybereduced?’’ Hereinthefirstplacewemayexplain,onutilitarianprinciples,whyapparentlyarbitraryinequalityinacertainpartoftheconductofindividualsisnotregardedasinjusticeoreven——insomecases——asinanywaycensurable。Forfreedomofactionisanimportantsourceofhappinesstotheagents,andasociallyusefulstimulustotheirenergies:henceitisobviouslyexpedientthataman’sfreechoiceinthedistributionofwealthorkindservicesshouldnotberestrainedbythefearoflegalpenalties,orevenofsocialdisapprobation,beyondwhattheinterestsofothersclearlyrequire;andtherefore,whendistinctlyrecognisedclaimsaresatisfied,itisprotantoexpedientthatthemerepreferencesofanindividualshouldbetreatedbyothersaslegitimategroundsforinequalityinthedistributionofhispropertyorservices。Nay,aswehavebeforeseen,itiswithincertainlimitsexpedientthateachindividualshouldpracticallyregardhisownunreasonedimpulsesasreasonablegroundsofaction:asintherenderingofservicespromptedbysuchaffectionsasarenormallyandproperlyspontaneousandunforced。 Passingtoconsiderthegeneralprinciplesuponwhich`justclaims’ascommonlyrecognisedappeartobebased,wenoticethatthegroundsofanumberofsuchclaimsmaybebroughtunderthegeneralheadof`normalexpectations’; butthatthestringencyofsuchobligationsvariesmuchindegree,accordingastheexpectationsarebasedupondefiniteengagements,oronsomevaguemutualunderstanding,oraremerelysuchasanaveragemanwouldformfrompastexperienceoftheconductofothermen。IntheselattercasesCommonSenseappearedtobesomewhatperplexedastothevalidityoftheclaims。 ButfortheUtilitarianthedifficultyhasceasedtoexist。Hewillholdanydisappointmentofexpectationstobeprotantoanevil,butagreaterevilinproportiontotheprevioussecurityoftheexpectantindividual,fromthegreatershockthusgiventohisrelianceontheconductofhisfellow-mengenerally:andmanytimesgreaterinproportionastheexpectationisgenerallyrecognisedasnormalandreasonable,asinthiscasetheshockextendstoallwhoareinanywaycognisantofhisdisappointment。 Theimportancetomankindofbeingabletorelyoneachother’sactionsissogreat,thatinordinarycasesofabsolutelydefiniteengagementsthereisscarcelyanyadvantagethatcancounterbalancetheharmdonebyviolatingthem。Still,wefoundthatseveralexceptionsandqualificationstotheruleofGoodFaithweremoreorlessdistinctlyrecognisedbyCommonSense:andmostofthesehaveautilitarianbasis,whichitdoesnotneedmuchpenetrationtodiscern。Tobegin,wemaynoticethatthesuperficialviewoftheobligationofapromisewhichmakesitdependontheassertionofthepromiser,andnot,asUtilitarianshold,ontheexpectationsproducedinthepromisee,cannotfairlybeattributedtoCommonSense:whichcertainlycondemnsabreachofpromisemuchmorestronglywhenothershaveactedinrelianceonit,thanwhenitsobservancedidnotdirectlyconcernothers,sothatitsbreachinvolvesforthemonlytheindirectevilofabadprecedent,aswhenamanbreaksapledgeoftotalabstinence。Wesee,again,howtheutilitarianreasonsforkeepingapromisearediminishedbyamaterialchangeofcircumstances,forinthatcasetheexpectationsdisappointedbybreakingitareatleastnotthosewhichthepromiseoriginallycreated。 Itisobvious,too,thatitisadisadvantagetothecommunitythatmenshouldbeabletorelyontheperformanceofpromisesprocuredbyfraudorunlawfulforce,sofarasencouragementistherebygiventotheuseoffraudorforceforthisend。Wesaw,again,thatwhentheperformancewouldbeinjurioustothepromisee,CommonSenseisdisposedtoadmitthatitsobligationissuperseded;andisatleastdoubtfulwhetherthepromiseshouldbekept,evenwhenitisonlythepromiserwhowouldbeinjured,iftheharmbeextreme;——bothwhichqualificationsareinharmonywithUtilitarianism。Andsimilarlyfortheotherqualificationsandexceptions: theyallturnouttobeasclearlyutilitarian,asthegeneralutilityofkeepingone’swordisplainandmanifest。 Butfurther,theexpediencyofsatisfyingnormalexpectations,evenwhentheyarenotbaseduponadefinitecontract,isundeniable;itwillclearlyconducetothetranquillityofsocialexistence,andtothesettledandwell-adjustedactivityonwhichsocialhappinessgreatlydepends,thatsuchexpectationsshouldbeaslittleaspossiblebaulked。AndhereUtilitarianismrelievesusofthedifficultieswhichbesetthecommonviewofjustconductassomethingabsolutelypreciseanddefinite。Forinthisvaguerregionwecannotdrawasharplinebetweenvalidandinvalidclaims;`injustice’shadesgraduallyoffintomere`hardship’。 HencetheUtilitarianviewthatthedisappointmentofnaturalexpectationsisanevil,butanevilwhichmustsometimesbeincurredforthesakeofagreatergood,isthattowhichCommonSenseispracticallyforced,thoughitisdifficulttoreconcileitwiththetheoreticalabsolutenessofJusticeintheIntuitionalviewofMorality。 Thegainofrecognisingtherelativityofthisobligationwillbestillmorefelt,whenweconsiderwhatIdistinguishedasIdealJustice,andexaminethegeneralconceptionsofthiswhichwefindexpressedorlatentincurrentcriticismsoftheexistingorderofSociety。 Wehaveseenthattherearetwocompetingviewsofanideallyjustsocialorder——orperhapswemaysaytwoextremetypesbetweenwhichtheloosernotionsofordinarymenseemtofluctuate——whichIcalledrespectivelyIndividualisticandSocialistic。 AccordingtotheformerviewanidealsystemofLawoughttoaimatFreedom,orperfectmutualnon-interferenceofallthemembersofthecommunity,asanabsoluteend。Nowthegeneralutilitarianreasonsforleavingeachrationaladultfreetoseekhappinessinhisownwayareobviousandstriking: for,generallyspeaking,eachisbestqualifiedtoprovideforhisowninterests,sinceevenwhenhedoesnotknowbestwhattheyareandhowtoattainthem,heisatanyratemostkeenlyconcernedforthem:andagain,theconsciousnessoffreedomandconcomitantresponsibilityincreasestheaverageeffectiveactivityofmen:andbesides,thediscomfortofconstraintisdirectlyanevilandprotantotobeavoided。Still,wesawthattheattempttoconstructaconsistentcodeoflaws,takingMaximumFreedom(insteadofHappiness)asanabsoluteend,mustleadtostartlingparadoxesandinsolublepuzzles:andinfactthepracticalinterpretationofthenotion`Freedom’,andthelimitswithinwhichitsrealisationhasbeenactuallysought,havealways——eveninthefreestsocieties——beenmoreorlessconsciouslydeterminedbyconsiderationsofexpediency。SothatwemayfairlysaythatinsofarasCommonSensehasadoptedtheIndividualisticidealinpolitics,ithasalwaysbeenassubordinatetoandlimitedbytheUtilitarianfirstprinciple。[7] Itseems,however,thatwhatwecommonlydemandorlongfor,underthenameofIdealJustice,isnotsomuchtherealisationofFreedom,asthedistributionofgoodandevilaccordingtoDesert:indeeditisasameanstothislatterendthatFreedomisoftenadvocated;foritissaidthatifweprotectmencompletelyfrommutualinterference,eachwillreapthegoodandbadconsequencesofhisownconduct,andsobehappyorunhappyinproportiontohisdeserts。Inparticular,ithasbeenwidelyheldthatifafreeexchangeofwealthandservicesisallowed,eachindividualwillobtainfromsociety,inmoneyorotheradvantages,whathisservicesarereallyworth。Wesaw,however,thatthepricewhichanindividualobtainsunderasystemofperfectfreetrade,forwealthorservicesexchangedbyhim,mayforseveralreasonsbenotproportionedtothesocialutilityofwhatheexchanges:andreflectiveCommonSenseseemstoadmitthisdisproportionastosomeextentlegitimate,undertheinfluenceofutilitarianconsiderationscorrectingtheunreflectiveutterancesofmoralsentiments。 Totakeaparticularcase: ifamoralmanwereaskedhowfaritisrighttotakeadvantageinbargainingofanother’signorance,probablyhisfirstimpulsewouldbetocondemnsuchaprocedurealtogether。Butreflection,Ithink,wouldshowhimthatsuchacensurewouldbetoosweeping:thatitwouldbecontrarytoCommonSenseto``blameAforhaving,innegotiatingwithastrangerB,takenadvantageofhisignoranceoffactsknowntohimself,providedthatA’ssuperiorknowledgehadbeenobtainedbyalegitimateuseofdiligenceandforesight,whichBmighthaveusedwithequalsuccess?Whatpreventsusfromcensuringinthisandsimilarcasesis,Iconceive,amoreorlessconsciousapprehensionoftheindefinitelosstothewealthofthecommunitythatislikelytoresultfromanyeffectivesocialrestrictionsonthefreepursuitandexercise’’ofeconomicknowledge。Andforsomewhatsimilarreasonsofgeneralexpediency,ifthequestionberaisedwhetheritisfairforaclassofpersonstogainbytheunfavourableeconomicsituationofanyclasswithwhichtheydeal,CommonSenseatleasthesitatestocensuresuchgains——atanyratewhensuchunfavourablesituationisdue``tothegradualactionofgeneralcauses,fortheexistenceofwhichthepersonswhogainarenotspeciallyresponsible’’。[8] Thegeneralprincipleof`requitinggooddesert’,sofarasCommonSensereallyacceptsitaspracticallyapplicabletotherelationsofmeninsociety,isbroadlyinharmonywithUtilitarianism; sinceweobviouslyencouragetheproductionofgeneralhappinessbyrewardingmenforfelicificconduct;onlytheUtilitarianscaleofrewardswillnotbedeterminedentirelybythemagnitudeoftheservicesperformed,butpartlyalsobythedifficultyofinducingmentoperformthem。Butthislatterelementseemstobealwaystakenintoaccount(thoughperhapsunconsciously) byCommonSense:for,aswehavebeenledtonotice,wedonotcommonlyrecognisemeritinrightactions,iftheyaresuchasmenarenaturallyinclinedtoperformrathertoomuchthantoolittle。Again,incaseswheretheIntuitionalprinciplethatill-desertliesinwrongintentionconflictswiththeUtilitarianviewofpunishmentaspurelypreventive,wefindthatintheactualadministrationofcriminaljustice,CommonSenseisforced,howeverreluctantly,intopracticalagreementwithUtilitarianism。Thusafteracivilwaritdemandstheexecutionofthemostpurelypatrioticrebels;andafterarailwayaccidentitclamoursfortheseverepunishmentofunintentionalneglects,which,exceptfortheirconsequences,wouldhavebeenregardedasveryvenial。 If,however,inanydistributionofpleasuresandprivileges,orofpainsandburdens,considerationsofdesertdonotproperlycomein(i。e。ifthegoodoreviltobedistributedhavenorelationtoanyconductonthepartofthepersonswhoaretoreceiveeither)——orifitispracticallyimpossibletotakesuchconsiderationsintoaccount——thenCommonSenseseemstofallbackonsimpleequalityastheprincipleofjustapportionment。[10]AndwehaveseenthattheUtilitarian,inthecasesupposed,willreasonablyacceptEqualityastheonlymodeofdistributionthatisnotarbitrary;anditmaybeobservedthatthismodeofapportioningthemeansofhappinessislikelytoproducemorehappinessonthewhole,notonlybecausemenhaveadisinterestedaversiontounreason,butstillmorebecausetheyhaveanaversiontoanykindofinferioritytoothers(whichismuchintensifiedwhentheinferiorityseemsunreasonable)。 Thislatterfeelingissostrongthatitoftenprevailsinspiteofobviousclaimsofdesert;anditmayevenbesometimesexpedientthatitshouldsoprevail。 For,finally,itmustbeobservedthatUtilitarianismfurnishesuswithacommonstandardtowhichthedifferentelementsincludedinthenotionofJusticemaybereduced。Suchastandardisimperativelyrequired:asthesedifferentelementsarecontinuallyliabletoconflictwitheachother。Theissue,forexample,inpracticalpoliticsbetweenConservativesandReformersoftenrepresentssuchaconflict:thequestionis,whetherweoughttodoacertainviolencetoexpectationsarisingnaturallyoutoftheexistingsocialorder,withtheviewofbringingaboutadistributionofthemeansofhappinessmoreinaccordancewithidealjustice。Here,ifmyanalysisofthecommonnotionofJusticebesound,theattempttoextractfromitacleardecisionofsuchanissuemustnecessarilyfail: astheconflictis,sotosay,permanentlylatentintheverycoreofCommonSense。ButtheUtilitarianwillmerelyusethisnotionofJusticeasaguidetodifferentkindsofutilities;andinsofarastheseareincompatible,hewillbalanceonesetofadvantagesagainsttheother,anddecideaccordingtothepreponderance。