of the prize must be verifiable by positive methods

43 And be verifiably greater, beyond all comparison, than that of all other prizes 44 Has such a prize any real existence? This is our question 44 It has never yet been answered properly 45 And though two sets of answers have been given it, neither of them are satisfactory 45 I shall deal with these two questions in order 47

CHAPTER III.
SOCIOLOGY AS THE FOUNDATION OF MORALITY.

The positive theory is that the health of the social organism is the real foundation of morals	49
But social health is nothing but the personal health of all the members of the society	51
It is not happiness itself, but the negative conditions that make happiness for all	51
Still less is social health any high kind of happiness	54
It can only be maintained to be so, by supposing	55
Either, that all kinds of happiness are equally high that do not interfere with others	55
Or, that it is only a high kind of happiness that can be shared by all	56
Both of which suppositions are false	57
The conditions of social health are a moral end only when we each feel a personal delight in maintaining them	58
In this case they will supply us with a small portion of the moral aid needed	59
But this case is not a possible one	60
There is indeed the natural impulse of sympathy that might tend to make it so	61
But this is counterbalanced by the corresponding impulse of selfishness	63
And this impulse of sympathy itself is of very limited power	63
Except under very rare conditions	63
The conditions of general happiness are far too vague to do more than very slightly excite it	64
Or give it power enough to neutralise any personal temptation	66
At all events they would excite no enthusiasm	67
For this purpose there must be some prize before us, of recognised positive value, more or less definite	67
And before all things, to be enjoyed by us individually	67
Unless this prize be of great value to begin with, its value will not become great because great numbers obtain it	71
Nor until we know what it is, do we gain anything by the hope that men may more completely make it their own in the future