Lectures on Systematic Morality

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1846 edition. Excerpt: ... lecture vi. virtue. happiness. conscience. the will of god. T hope that the lectures already delivered here have--made it unnecessary to explain further the manner in which, according to our system, we are led to establish our moral Rules. We find that the recognition of a difference of right and wrong, which is the first step in Morality, implies a Supreme Rule of Human Action. We find that, in order that such a Rule may have validity, certain of its results must be vested in persons as Rights. These may be considered as fragmentary and external portions of the Supreme Rule; and from these, knowing that they are fragmentary and external, and possessing within ourselves the Faculty or Faculties of which these fragmentary Rules are the expressions, we are able to ascend to the complete and interior Rule, the general scheme of Morality. We found that this Rule might be constructed by the convergence of five elements, Benevolence, Justice, Truth, Purity, Order. These may be taken as our Cardinal Virtues, which, modified by external conditions, and by combination with each other, produce the other virtues; and which, manifested in act, appear as Duties. In this mode of proceeding, we assume, or rather, we find the nature of man's mind to be such, that he must recognize a Supreme Rule of Action; and we assume too, or find, that external jural Laws are indications of internal moral Rules. These views of man may be called views of man's constitution; and the System of Morality so established may be said to be founded upon the constitution of man. It is perhaps sufficiently evident from the first, that the notion of actions absolutely right and wrong implies a Supreme Rule of Action; as the notion of actions relativel