JB/014/150/001

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6 Sept. 1814

Logic or Ethics Ch. Object

3

§. Ought it not?

The function of the moralist not less abound to formal purposes than
do of legislators.

Unfortunately a disposition and practice thus simple and unassuming
does not in general accord with the convenience of moralists
of those who by whom the conduct of mankind man or men
considered in a moral point of view is — whether in the way of speech
or writing taken for the subject of discourse: and not according
with their convenience it accords not with their practice

With few if any exceptions this is the use of
open {taken to any man who speaks} — open any book that takes for
its subject any part of the field of morals this which the following you will
find in the state of mind with in which he enters upon
the subject, {this is the use he makes of the word ought
and its contrary} At his first entrance At the very outset he seats him-
From the ver He begins with investing himself with the
character if not of legislator, of preceptor of mankind:
in conformity to this character he seats himself in a but he assumed a commanding places himself
commanding station attested he speaks expresses himself in a commanding tone
Whatsoever it would be his pleasure to see done they should do: he
tells them men that they ought to do it: be whatsoever it
would be his pleasure to see them not do, forbear doing,
he tells them that they ought not to do it. I ought to
do so (should any one say?) but why ought I — I ought
not to do so but why ought I not? to any such question
no answer does he consider it as incumbent on
him to give. Whatsoever it be, that this for the recommending enforcement
of which this language is employed, to say it ought
not to be done is easy in the extreme: easy in the extreme to every man in
to every man proportion to the facility with which the letters component of which
this word ought can be made to flow from his pen: to
say, why it ought will in every case be matter of comparative
difficulty, and in many cases, as for instance when that which
is thus recommended is what it too frequently is folly or improbity, is not impossible

Identifier: | JB/014/150/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 14.
Date_1	1814-09-06	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	014	Main Headings	deontology
Folio number	150	Info in main headings field	logic or ethics
Image	001	Titles
Category	text sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	d4 / e3
Penner	jeremy bentham	Watermarks	[[watermarks::[prince of wales feathers] mj&l 1811]]
Marginals		Paper Producer	colonel aaron burr
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1811
Notes public		ID Number	4913
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