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20

Propriety, its connection with Utility

But The word utility, with its conjugates, useful & useless, – uselessness & usefulness
is not has not been found convenient applicable to all the cases where the principle itself is brought
into operation.

In some instances it appears too weak to express the force of the obligation of which
it is desirable to give the idea. The mind will not be satisfied with such phrases as It is useless to commit murder – or it would
be useful to prevent it – & so of incendiarism & acts of such great magnitude of
mischief that as to be dealt Hence its insufficiency in the field of Legislation.

The real principles as utility of asceticism & sentimentalism, – being in a state
of rivalry with the principle of utility, – the employment of the phrase term might
be made on every occasion, it the ground for rejecting propositions which otherwise
would be admitted. It pre-supposes, as it were the truth of the doctrine of utility.

In the word propriety, – with its conjugates proper & improper, the desideratum
appears to have been found. They are It is a natural emanation from Deontology – or the knowledge of
what is proper.

There is no objection to it in respect of intensity of import; no crime, however
heinous but will be admitted to be improper. It is true that to the rhetorician
an expression thus curt may appear unsuited to the occasion – & he may deem the
word itself improper. His object being to put others in a passion, his course is to be to
to appear to be in a passion himself – while by so unimpassioned unexciting a term, not passion, – but
the absence of passion is expressed. But to the logician such an objection will
not be formidable – & it is for logical and not for rhetorical purposes that the
word is wanted.

It has too the usefulness of impartiality. It does not of itself decide
between any of the systems – & may be applied with equal propriety to the
development of each. Probably neither the ascetic nor the sentimentalist will
regard it as it inappropriate unless on the ground of its coolness. Both will certainly
admit that of which they approve to be proper, both that of which they disapprove
to be improper. It will at all events serve to express the two sides characters of an act
leaving any additional language of praise or blame to be applied at will. It is
the announcement of a judgment formed & that without any intimation of the
affections with which that judgment has been accompanied or the ground on
which it has been formed.

It will To the Utilitarian it will have the convenience of
covering the whole field domain of action – & giving expression to the sentiment of approbation
or disapprobation, under to whichever part of the field of duty the the act may belong.


Identifier: | JB/015/157/001
"JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.

Date_1

Marginal Summary Numbering

Box

015

Main Headings

deontology

Folio number

157

Info in main headings field

Image

001

Titles

Category

linking material

Number of Pages

1

Recto/Verso

recto

Page Numbering

f26

Penner

sir john bowring

Watermarks

Marginals

Paper Producer

Corrections

Paper Produced in Year

Notes public

ID Number

5373

Box Contents

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