To sum up

I.—­As regards the Standard, Brown contends for an Innate Sentiment.

II.—­The Faculty being thus determined, along with the Standard, we have only to resume his views as to Disinterested action.  For a full account of these, we have to go beyond the strictly Ethical lectures, to his analysis of the Emotions.  Speaking of love, he says that it includes a desire of doing good to the person loved; that it is necessarily pleasurable because there must be some quality in the object that gives pleasure; but it is not the mere pleasure of loving that makes us love.  The qualities are delightful to love, and yet impossible not to love.  He is more explicit when he comes to the consideration of Pity, recognizing the existence of sympathy, not only without liking for the object, but with positive dislike.  In another place, he remarks that we desire the happiness of our fellows simply as human beings.  He is opposed to the theory that would trace our disinterested affections to a selfish origin.  He makes some attempt to refer to the laws of Association, the taking in of other men’s emotions, but thinks that there is a reflex process besides.

Although recognizing in a vague way the existence of genuine disinterested impulses, he dilates eloquently, and often, on the deliciousness of benevolence, and of all virtuous feelings and conduct.

WILLIAM PALEY. [1743-1805].

The First Book of Paley’s ‘Moral and Political Philosophy’ is entitled ‘PRELIMINARY CONSIDERATIONS’ it is in fact an unmethodical account of various fundamental points of the subject.  He begins by defining Moral Philosophy as ’that science which teaches men their duty, and the reasons of it.  The ordinary rules are defective and may mislead, unless aided by a scientific investigation.  These ordinary rules are the Law of Honour, the Law of the Land, and the Scriptures.

He commences with the Law of Honour, which he views in its narrow sense, as applied to people of rank and fashion.  This is of course a very limited code.

The Law of the Land also must omit many duties, properly compulsory, as piety, benevolence, &c.  It must also leave unpunished many vices, as luxury, prodigality, partiality.  It must confine itself to offences strictly definable.

The Scriptures lay down general rules, which have to be applied by the exercise of reason and judgment.  Moreover, they pre-suppose the principles of natural justice, and supply new sanctions and greater certainty.  Accordingly, they do not dispense with a scientific view of morals.

[The correct arrangement of the common rules would have been (1) the Law of the Land, (2) the Laws of Society generally, and (3) the Scriptures.  The Law of Honour is merely one application of the comprehensive agency of society in punishing men, by excommunication, for what it prohibits.]

Then follows his famous chapter on the MORAL SENSE.