JB/015/218/001

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73

This tendency to make your own antipathies or predilections the
standard of morals is most easily encouraged by keeping out of the
way the standard which utility furnishes. Hence those who dread
the light which its radiance throws upon human actions are fond
of engaging their votaries in the chase of an inapproachable
inaccessible, – wandering will-of-the-wisp which they called a motive
– an entity buried in inapproachable darkness – & which if it
were approachable & produceable would be of no value whatever.

Among the prominent causes The search after motive is one of the prominent causes of men's bewilderment in the
search of a standard of morality is the chase after motives investigation of questions of morals. The want search is
grounded on a vague notion that in the spring of action rather
than the act itself the real quantity & quality of vice & virtue might be
found. But this is but the pursuit in which every moment employed
is a moment wasted. All motives are abstractedly good – no
man has – ever had – can or could have a motive different
from the pursuit of pleasure, or the shunning of pain. The
motive which produces no act is merely speculative – and
immaterial – offering no topic either of praise or blame.
But be motives what they may – & they always must be the same –
that is, pleasure-seeking – & pain-avoiding – it is not on them
that the Moralist is called to deliver his award. He has to do
with conduct – with conduct when its consequences invade the
regions of suffering & enjoyment. He is but a despotic intruder
elsewhere.

Identifier: | JB/015/218/001 "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	218	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f73
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks	van der ley
Marginals		Paper Producer	marquis of lansdowne
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5434
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