Lectures on Moral Science"Philosophy investigates causes, unities, and ends. Of these it is the last two that are chiefly considered in the following lectures. "Happy," it has been said, "is he who knows the causes of things." But in a world where there are so many apparent discrepancies both natural and moral, he must be more happy who knows the arrangement of things into systems, and sees how all these systems go to make up one greater system and to promote a common end. An investigation of causes respects the past; of unities and ends, the present and the future. Of these the latter are more intimate to us, and he who can trace the principle of unity by which nature is harmonized with herself, and man with nature, and man with himself, and the individual with society, and man with God--who can see in all these a complex unity and can apprehend their end--will have an element of satisfaction far greater than he who should know the causes of all things without being able to unravel their perplexities. From the place assigned to Moral Philosophy in the classification adopted in these lectures, an incidental consideration of the above harmonies seemed to be required. Hence it is hoped that the book may contain suggestions that will be valuable to some who may not agree with its doctrines on the particular subject of morals. It is particularly hoped that it may do something towards introducing more of unity into the courses of study, or some of them, in our higher seminaries. If the works of God, regarded as an expression of his thought, are built up after a certain method, it deserves to be considered whether that thought will not be best reached by following in their study the order that has been followed in their construction, and which is involved in that method. Something of this I have long aimed to do in my instructions, and with very perceptible advantage. With suitable text-books and a right arrangement of studies, much more might doubtless be done. In treating of any natural system, as each part implies all the others, wherever we begin, and whatever method we follow, we are compelled to use terms whose full meaning can be reached only in the progress of the investigation. This is particularly true when, as in the present instance, instead of beginning with definitions, we seek for them. For this it is hoped that due allowance may be made. It will be seen that important, and even cardinal points, are often but briefly touched in these discussions. I can only say that the work is, of necessity, suggestive rather than exhaustive, and that if these points are so treated as to show their place in the system, the outline may be readily filled up"--Preface. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). |
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Page viii
... give the lectures as they were . Always feeling that my first duty was in the class - room , my strength sim- ply sufficed for the demands of the passing day . In 1855 the Rhetoric of the class passed into other hands , but so much of ...
... give the lectures as they were . Always feeling that my first duty was in the class - room , my strength sim- ply sufficed for the demands of the passing day . In 1855 the Rhetoric of the class passed into other hands , but so much of ...
Page 25
... give their characteristics , and thus to bring them out into distinct consciousness . Before Leibnitz , no one had ever men- tioned their two great characteristics , necessity and uni- versality , and it was not till the time of Kant ...
... give their characteristics , and thus to bring them out into distinct consciousness . Before Leibnitz , no one had ever men- tioned their two great characteristics , necessity and uni- versality , and it was not till the time of Kant ...
Page 27
... gives . If we say that it does thus give both the subject and the object , that sim- ple affirmation sweeps away in a moment the whole basis of the ideal and skeptical philosophy . It becomes as the spear of Ithuriel , and its simple ...
... gives . If we say that it does thus give both the subject and the object , that sim- ple affirmation sweeps away in a moment the whole basis of the ideal and skeptical philosophy . It becomes as the spear of Ithuriel , and its simple ...
Page 32
... give the phenomena , and then an accurate observation of those phenomena . A per- fect moral science would require the normal action of the moral powers , either in ourselves or another , and an accu- rate observation of the results ...
... give the phenomena , and then an accurate observation of those phenomena . A per- fect moral science would require the normal action of the moral powers , either in ourselves or another , and an accu- rate observation of the results ...
Page 37
... gives them a thought of God which they utter to the race , and it becomes a fountain of joy to millions . So it has been in astronomy . Every time the thought of God , as uttered by Newton , has been apprehended for the first time by ...
... gives them a thought of God which they utter to the race , and it becomes a fountain of joy to millions . So it has been in astronomy . Every time the thought of God , as uttered by Newton , has been apprehended for the first time by ...
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Common terms and phrases
according action affirmation animal appetites approbation astronomy attainment beauty become benevolence blessedness body called character chemical affinity choice choose conception condition connection conscience consciousness constitution distinction dition duty element enjoyment evil faculties faith feeling force form of activity give given glory happiness harmony Hence higher highest holiness human idea inalienable indicate individual instinct intellect involved lecture liberty light lower means ment mind moral act moral affections moral character moral constitution moral nature moral philosophy moral quality moral reason moral science natural affections natural law natural right nature of things ness object obligation original ourselves parent particles perfect person philosophical skeptic pleasure principle question rational reach reference regard relation respect selfishness sense simply society sphere subordinate suppose supreme end tendency things thought tion true end truth ultimate end ural virtue virtuous volition whole wholly WILLIAMS COLLEGE wrong
Popular passages
Page 121 - All murder'd; for within the hollow crown That rounds the mortal temples of a king Keeps Death his court and there the antic sits, Scoffing his state and grinning at his pomp, Allowing him a breath, a little scene, To monarchize, be fear'd and kill with looks...
Page 291 - But shadows, clouds, and darkness, rest upon it. Here will I hold. If there's a power above us (And that there is, all Nature cries aloud Through all her works), he must delight in virtue ; And that which he delights in must be happy.
Page 98 - It is for this reason that the blood of the martyrs has been the seed of the church...
Page 121 - And that small model of the barren earth Which serves as paste and cover to our bones. For God's sake, let us sit upon the ground And tell sad stories of the death of kings...
Page 66 - He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.
Page 109 - And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under the heavens; this sore travail hath God given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith.
Page 203 - Greatness and goodness are not means, but ends ! Hath he not always treasures, always friends, The good great man ? Three treasures, love, and light, And calm thoughts regular as infant's breath : And three firm friends, more sure than day and night, Himself, his Maker, and the angel Death.
Page 75 - They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick ;" and the law of self-denial as a remedy, or as a condition for the working of other remedies, may be as different from its natural law as the regimen of a sick man should be from that of one who is well. It has been from a consciousness of disorder that difficulties and obscurity have arisen at this point.
Page 151 - Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and CHANGED the glory of the uncorruptible God into AN IMAGE made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Page 61 - These pleasures, by repetition, lose their relish. It is a property of the machine, for which we know no remedy, that the organs, by which we perceive pleasure, are blunted and benumbed by being frequently exercised in the same way.