JB/015/379/001

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54

Of the systems of morality presented to the acceptance of
mankind which is there so honorable to its advocates as the deontological.
Sensible of no weakness it asks for no mercy – it has no hidden
defects to be glossed over by sophistry – no inexplicable mysteries to
be covered by the shield of authority. In itself it contains the
elements of its own purification, – & offers no barriers to the progress
of those discoveries investigations which are likely disposed to follow truth & virtue
thro' every ethical labyrinth in which prejudice – or interest stronger
than prejudice – may have involved them. No man need be ashamed
on any occasion to own himself to be that he is desirous of being governed by the doctrines of Utility in all
his conduct – and in making such a declaration he is certain to
find a large amount of sympathy – for it cannot be denied
that the moral sanction is an really grounded on the recognition
of those doctrines. The Deontological Code is the harmonizer
of that popular opinion which in fact is constantly awake to
it spontaneous appeals. It is the Law of Society brought into
order & reduced to system, with a few alterations necessary for
the consistency & unity of the whole.

But when a system of morals proposes to a
man a higher degree of perfection than it can find
motives to stimulate him to, – that system is false & hollow.

If the conduct it proposes to men in general
s such as from the very nature of things few men can be
expected to pursue, that system is false & hollow.

If it proposes to a man a point line in one part of conduct as necessary taken to be maintained
which is not maintainable – for which it can find no
sanctions of pleasure to attract, – no menaces of
pain to force him to that point line of conduct – if in a word
it affects to accomplish what is not accomplishable – that
system is false & hollow.

Identifier: | JB/015/379/001 "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	379	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f54
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks	i i smith & son 1831
Marginals		Paper Producer	maria edgeworth
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1831
Notes public		ID Number	5595
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