JB/149/364/001

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Yet it may be said — a man's well-being ought not to be
object of his pursuit. This ought, like other oughts is a mere covering
for despotic, unsupported assertion, and only means, that the objector
thinks a man's well-being ought not to occupy his attention. The
argument is just where it was, and all the stronger if nothing can
be brought upon it but dogmatical assumption. It is at best
only the declaration of an opinion, and a declaration
without a reason leaved matters pretty much as it found them.

V Causes of Immorality

The causes of immorality may be comprised under the following
heads. False principles in morals, misapplications of religion, preference
of the selfish self-regarding to the social interest, and lastly preference
of loss or lesser present to greater pleasure.

False principles in morals may be classed under the two
heads of asceticism and sentimentalism, and
both demand the useless sacrifice of pleasure — the sacrifice of pleasure
to no purpose of greater pleasure. Asceticism proceeds further than
sentimentalism, and inflicts useless pain. Both avoid the putting
forward reasons, and act as far as it is possible to act upon the
affections. Asceticism generally on the antipathies — by fear and terror —
sentimentalism on the sympathies. They both would dispense with
the assistance of books of morality, and confirm men in the
notion that bad morals are all that are fit for practice, good
ones only for discourse and parade. They both show shun the
application of the tests of morality, and exist in their highest
exercise where morality is at its lowest point — Asceticism
then becomes the immediate and close ally of misanthropy, and
sentimentalism of helplessness. False morality can never be
cultivated but at the expense of true morality.

X

Next to the misapplication of false principles to morality,
the misapplication of religion takes its place among the causes
of immorality, and its misapplication will be traced whenever
its sanctions are applied to the diminution of the balances of
pleasure or the production of the balances of pain. And there can
be no more stronger test of the truth or falsehood of any religion
than its conduciveness or repugnancy to the greatest human happiness.
To understand religion is to understand the will of God. God is a being
one of whose attribute is benevolence — benevolence not imperfect,
not limited, but infinite benevolence. And how can He be benevolent
but in proportion to the quantity of happiness, which it is his
wish to see enjoyed by those who are subject to his power.
And if that happiness be not an empty name, of what can

Identifier: | JB/149/364/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 149.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	149	Main Headings
Folio number	364	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles	v causes of immorality / x
Category	copy/fair copy sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering
Penner		Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	50218
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