THEORETICAL ETHICS

BY
MILTON VALENTINE, D.D., LL. D.

Ex-President of Pennsylvania College, and Professor of Theology
in the Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg, Pa.,
Author of "Natural Theology or Rational Theism."

 

 

 

CHICAGO
SCOTT, FORESMAN & CO.
1900

Copyright, 1897, by
Scott, Foresman & Co.

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PREFACE.

Ethical Theory has felt the full force of recent scientific and philosophical agitation. The earlier systems have been subject to earnest and continued discussion. The severest tests available by the progress of knowledge have been applied to both their premises and their conclusions. New theories, based on changed conceptions of man and the world, have been variously elaborated, presenting greatly altered views of the whole phenomenon of morality. While not overthrowing old views these have given instructive suggestions. The ethical field has thus been largely re-surveyed, and whatever light modern science and speculation have furnished has been thrown upon this great and unceasingly important subject. In some respects the agitation has brought confusion and uncertainty. The clash of theories has been disturbing. But on the whole ethical philosophy has been the gainer. The discussions have certified the immovable foundations and essential features of the moral system. The fresh light from the advance of knowledge has proved, as it always does, not destructive, but corrective and confirmatory. The abiding truth has been shown and vindicated by the ordeal through which it has passed.

This volume is largely the outcome of the author's many years of class-room lecturing on the subject. Its object is to furnish for students and general readers a compendious view of the ethical facts and principles as the author believes them to be established by the best accredited knowledge and thought of our times. There seems to be room for such a work. The method is believed to give proper recognition to both the empirical and metaphysical sides of the subject. Starting from the universal phenomenon of moral distinctions in life, it determines the conscience psychologically, as a rationally intuitive power discerning the moral distinction and the reality and authority of moral law. The implications of conscience and moral law necessarily become theistic. The metaphysical examination finds for the real phenomena of the subjective faculty the objective and abiding reality of the ethical law which the faculty discerns, and the right or morally good itself so perceived as consisting proximately in a conformity of conduct with the relations of life in which moral requirement meets human freedom, and as ultimately grounded in the absolute and perfect source of the moral constitution of the universe. The movement carries to the conclusion of eternal and immutable moral law. The disclosures of revelation confirm the ethical law of the natural reason, completing the moral view and supplying, in the divine forces of Christianity, the proper dynamic for the realization of the ethical life.

The volume is humbly sent forth in the hope that it may contribute somewhat to the cause of truth and prove quickening to the life of duty and righteousness.

Gettysburg, Dec. 1, 1896.

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CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. DEFINITION AND GENERAL DIVISIONS.       PAGES 1. Definition and Statement of the Subject-matter 15–17 2. Historical Glance at the Beginning and Progress of the Science 17–20 3. Theoretical and Practical 20–23 4. Relations to Psychology, Natural Theology, and Christian Theology 23–27 CHAPTER II. THE FACT OF MORAL DISTINCTIONS. 1. Revealed in Personal Consciousness 28–29 2. Incorporated in the Social Organism 29 3. Witnessed to in History 29–31 4. Shown in the Religious World 31–33 5. Pervades Literature

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">33–34 6. Ethnic and Anthropological Information 34–35 7. Unaffected by Theories of its Cause or Significance 35–36 CHAPTER III. FACULTY OF MORAL DISTINCTIONS—THE EXISTENCE OF CONSCIENCE. 1. The Importance of this Question 37–39 2. Proofs of its Existence 39–55   1. The Moral Distinctions in Personal Consciousness and the World 39–40   2. The Peculiar Character of its Perceptions 40–44   3. Special Feelings from its Perceptions 44–47   4. Objection from Diversity of Moral Judgments Noticed 47–53   5. These Proofs Independent of the Mode of the Origin of the Power 53–55 CHAPTER IV. THE FACULTY OF MORAL DISTINCTIONS—THE NATURE OF CONSCIENCE. 1. The Importance of Determining its Nature 56–59   1. For Scientific Accuracy 56–57   2. As Involving the Authority of Conscience 57–59 2. A Psychological Question 59 3. Conscience in place only in the Total Complex of Man's Psychical Powers 59–62 4. Specific Psychology of Conscience 62–76   1. Perception of the Ethical Distinction 62–64   2. Perception of Obligation 64–67   3. Identification of the Moral Quality in Acts

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@43062@[email protected]#Page_67" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">67–68   4. Perception of Merit and Demerit 68–72   5. Emotions Arising from these Perceptions 72–76 5. Special Characteristics Disclosed 76–80   1. Conscience Fundamentally Intellectual 76–77   2. Moral Quality its Sole Percept 77–78   3. Its Action Marked by Necessity 78–80 6. Relation of Phenomenalistic Philosophy to this View 80–83 7. Effect of Theistic Evolution Theory 83–85 CHAPTER V. THE SUPREMACY OF CONSCIENCE. 1. Involved in the Sphere of its Judgments 86–87 2. Shown by the Nature of its Action 87–88 3. The Absurdity of a Possible Supremacy in any other Faculty 88–92 4. Difficulties Considered 92–99 CHAPTER VI. MORAL AGENCY. 1. Rational Intelligence 102–104 2. The Conscience 104–105 3. Free Will 105–115 4. Powers of Sensibility and Action 115–118 CHAPTER VII. THE REALITY OF RIGHT AND WRONG. 1. The Source of Doubt the Relativity of Knowledge 120–125

2. Positive Statement of the Reality 125–129   1. The Moral Distinctions and Qualities not merely Subjective Phenomena but Objectively Real for Perception 125–126   2. Independent of the Mental Organization of the Race 127   3. Immutable and Eternal 127–129 3. The Importance of this Truth 129–130 4. Marks of the Dividing Line between True and False Moral Philosophies 130–132 5. The Relation of Evolutionism to this Reality 132–137   1. Theistic Evolution 132–133   2. Atheistic and Materialistic Evolution 133–137 CHAPTER VIII. THE GROUND OF RIGHT. 1. The Question Defined 138–139 2. Leading Views and Theories:   The Egyptian Teaching​—​Chinese​—​Indian​—​Persian​—​Greek​—​Roman​—​Divine Absolutism​—​Civil Authority​—​Utilitarianism​—​Evolutionary Utilitarianism​—​Failure of Utilitarianism​—​Plausible Side of Utilitarian Theory—Theory of Conformity to Relations—Spiritual Excellence Theory—Theory of an Imperative in its Own Right 140–167 CHAPTER IX. THE GROUND OF RIGHT—CONTINUED. 1. Statement of Proximate Ground 168–178   1. Sustained by the Moral Consciousness in Constant Experience 171–172   2. Implied in the Logical Pre-suppositions to Responsibility 172–175   3. Verified in the Character of the Various Virtues and their Opposite Immoralities 175–176   4. Supported by Analogy of Organic and Instinctive Action 176–177   5. Assumed in the Conceptions and Language of Common Life

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">178 2. The Ultimate Ground 178–181 CHAPTER X. THE OBJECTS OF THE MORAL JUDGMENT. 1. Personal Actions 182–187 2. The Various Feelings, Passions, and Desires 187–190 3. Intentions 190–191 4. The Activities and Uses of the Intellect 191–192 5. Acts of the Will 192–195 CHAPTER XI THE ETHICAL VIEW UNDER CHRISTIAN TEACHING. 1. Christianity Recognizes the Truths and Principles Established in True Ethical Science 196–197 2. It Contributes Immensely to the Ethical View 197–200 3. The Two Sources of the Christian View 200–205   1. Primarily, the Sacred Scriptures 201–204   2. Secondarily, the Christian Moral Consciousness 204–205 4. Particular Features of the Christian View 205–216   1. Known Duties Made More Distinct and Definite 205–206   2. Human Relations Better Disclosed 206–208   3. Moral Obligations Disclosed as Duties to God 208–210   4. Guilt of Offending against Moral Law 210–213   5. The Universalism of the Moral Law 213–215   6. Fulfilment Requires Regeneration

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">215–216 CHAPTER XII. THE ETHICAL TASK UNDER CHRISTIANITY. 1. Helped by the Completion of the Ethical View 219–220 2. Quickened by Assurance of Success 220–222 3. The Religious Interest Brought to Reinforce the Moral 222–224 4. The Enlightening and Enforcing Power of the Holy Spirit 224–225 5. Through Spiritual Regeneration 225–227

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THEORETICAL ETHICS.

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CHAPTER I.
DEFINITION AND DIVISIONS.

1. Ethics is the science of rectitude and duty. It treats of the right and its obligations. Its subject is morality. Its sphere is the sphere of virtuous conduct. It covers a double range of inquiry, as the subject-matter lies within or without the human constitution. On the one side it investigates and sets forth the facts and laws of man's moral constitution; on the other, the nature and grounds of the distinction of right and wrong. In the light of the whole investigation into these fundamental verities, it determines the principles and rules of duty in the various relations of life. It thus discovers and elucidates the underlying pre-suppositions and principles upon which the phenomena of moral discernment and obligation rest, and on which man rises into the possibility and reality of character, as his supreme distinction among the orders of existence on earth. The inquiry throughout is conducted according to the scientific method of careful observation and analysis of the unquestionable facts concerned, and an orderly presentation of their necessary logical implications and conclusions. Hence the product of the investigation, as the systematized view of the facts, with their underlying principles, may justly be called, as it usually is called, moral science.

The term Ethics, which we thus use to designate this branch of study, with its systematized truth, is not employed with etymological strictness. For it comes from the Greek ἦθος [Greek: êthos], moral character, which, according to Aristotle is derived from ἔθος [Greek: ethos] custom, under the notion that moral virtue is a product of repeated acts of voluntary preference.1 Taken strictly this would build rectitude or the ethically right on the mere habits or usages of a people. But this conception of the basis of virtue must not be included and carried into the scientific use of the word, or be at all allowed to prejudice the final decision of this great question of the foundation of right, in the end, in the light of all the facts in the case.2

The Latin equivalent for ἦθος [Greek: êthos] was mos, with similar suggestion as to the nature of rectitude, and human duty was treated under the head of De Moribus. Cicero says: "Quia pertinet ad mores, quod ἦθος [Greek: êthos] illi vocant, nos eam partem philosophiæ De Moribus appellare solemus; sed decet augentem linguam Latinam nominare Moralem."3 This suggestion of Cicero has given the common English designation Morals or Moral Philosophy. Recent usage, however, speaks of the study rather as moral science, in harmony with the prevailing preference for the term science in all investigations conducted under the inductive method. It is, nevertheless, as will appear, largely a metaphysical and philosophical investigation, and, if classed as science, must be counted as pre-eminently a philosophical science.