Moral Science

Moral Science; A Compendium
of Ethics, by

Alexander Bain
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Title: Moral Science; A Compendium of Ethics
Author: Alexander Bain
Release Date: July 15, 2004 [eBook #12913]
Language: English
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MORAL SCIENCE: A COMPENDIUM OF ETHICS
by
ALEXANDER BAIN, M.A.,
Author of "Mental Science: A Compendium of Psychology;" "The
Senses and the Intellect;" "The Emotions and the Will;" "A Manual
ooof Rhetoric;" Professor of Logic in the University of Aberdeen, etc.,
etc., etc.
1869

PREFACE
The present Dissertation falls under two divisions.
The first division, entitled The Theory of Ethics, gives 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

PART I.
THE THEORY OF ETHICS.

CHAPTER I.
PRELIMINARY VIEW OF ETHICAL QUESTIONS.
I.--The ETHICAL STANDARD. Summary of views.
II.--PSYCHOLOGICAL questions. 1. The Moral Faculty. 2. The
Freedom of the Will; the sources of Disinterested conduct.
III.--The BONUM, SUMMUM BONUM, or Happiness.
IV.--The CLASSIFICATION OF DUTIES, and the Moral Code.

V.--Relationship of Ethics to POLITICS.
VI.--Relation to Theology.

CHAPTER II.
THE ETHICAL STANDARD.
1. Ethics, as a department of Practice, is defined by its End.
2. The Ethical End is the welfare of society, realized through rules of
conduct duly enforced.
3. The Rules of Ethics are of two kinds. The first are imposed under a
penalty. These are Laws proper, or Obligatory Morality.
4. The second are supported by Rewards; constituting Optional
Morality, Merit, Virtue, or Nobleness.
5. The Ethical End, or Morality, as it has been, is founded partly in
Utility, and partly in Sentiment.
6. The Ethical End is limited, according to the view taken of Moral
Government, or Authority:--Distinction between Security and
Improvement.
7. Morality, in its essential parts, is 'Eternal and Immutable;' in other
parts, it varies with custom.
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.
9. The judgment of Mankind is, with some qualifications, in favour of
Happiness as the supreme end of conduct.
10. The Ethical end that society is tending to, is Happiness, or Utility.

11. Objections against Utility. I.--Happiness is not the sole aim of
human pursuit.
12. II.--The consequences of actions are beyond calculation.
13. III.--The principle of Utility contains no motives to seek the
happiness of others.

CHAPTER III.
THE MORAL FACULTY.
1. Question whether the Moral Faculty be simple or complex.
2. Arguments in favour of its being simple and intuitive:--First, Our
moral judgments are immediate and instantaneous.
3. Secondly, It is a faculty common to all mankind.
4. Thirdly, It is different from any other mental phenomenon.
5. Replies to these Arguments, and Counter-arguments:---First;
Immediateness of operation is no proof of an innate origin.
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.
7. Thirdly, Moral right and wrong is not an indivisible property, but an
extensive Code of regulations.
8. Fourthly, Intuition is not sufficient to settle debated questions.
9. Fifthly, It is possible to analyze the Moral Faculty:--Estimate of the
operation of (1) Prudence, (2) Sympathy, and (3) the Emotions
generally.

10. The peculiar attribute of Rightness arises from the institution of
Government or Authority.
11. The speciality of Conscience, or the Moral Sentiment, is identified
with our education under Government, or Authority.

PART II.
THE ETHICAL SYSTEMS.
SOKRATES. His subjects were Men