JB/015/168/001

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36

It may be urged, after all, that however bad the logic of these different
pretenders, their ethics were good – that the effect was good whatever may have
been the cause: – & that the badness of the cause matters little if the effect were good. Were you
to choose for your friend between two men, one of whom always reasoned well
& acted ill towards you, – while the other reasoned ill but acted well,
should you hesitate in the selection? Certainly not. But of the antique
Sages much of their logic has come down to us, but & few of their actions. Arguing
as they argue their conduct might have been good or bad – nothing is more
common than for men to to use one theory have two theories – one for show & another for practice use. But If bad logic however be any where mischievous it is in the field of morals.
Such doctrines as we have been exhibiting could never have been held
but at the expense of the understanding, – deep indeed must be the
prostration of the understanding – enfeebled indeed must its strength have
become, – ere trash like this could have mastered it.

(Insert) But there

There is great reason ground for suspicion in the mean time –
that in all this there is but little honest advocacy. He who loses sight of the
only true & useful morality – that which leaves a balance of pleasure
as its result, – he who seems rather desirous of leading a conversation than
of finding a rule for action – he in a word who puts forward on all
occasions the silly & baneful fallacy that what is good in theory is bad
in practice – he is not really entitled to that attention which implies
respect. When philosophy is meant for talk & parade, – its absurdities
may serve as decorations, – but if happiness morality be a good, – &
if happiness be a good, – no nonsense will make them bad. The moral
sanction, – understood & developed – will take them under its wing, –
& the common interest will give more & more efficiency to truth & reason those
great allies, by whose aid it will establish its own sovereignty.

Identifier: | JB/015/168/001 "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	168	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f36
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5384
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