British Quarterly Review, American Edition, Vol. LIV: July and October, 1871Various
History
British Quarterly Review, American Edition, Vol. LIV: July and October, 1871
Various
English periodicals
thought? Not the animal's, because it is not guided by experience. The
result arrived at is a result which could be attained by man only
through the exercise of reason of the very highest order. And the
question arises, are we not warranted in supposing that a hidden pilot
guides the bee, concealed behind what we call its instinct. We do not,
meanwhile, discuss the merit of this argument; but merely indicate the
difference between it and the argument from design, and that from law
and order. It is not a question of the adjustment of phenomena. It is
the demand of the intellect for a cause adequate to account for a
unique phenomenon. It approaches the cosmo-theological argument as
closely as it approaches the techno-theological one; yet it is
different from both. The cosmo-theological rises from any particular
effect, and by a backward mental bound reaches an infinite first
cause. The techno-theological attempts to rise from the adjustment of
means to ends, to an adjuster or contriver. This simply asks, whence
comes the mind that is here in operation, perceived by its effects?
The next class of arguments are based upon the moral nature of man.
They may be termed in general _ethico-theological_; and there are, at
least, two main branches in this line of proof. The former is the
argument from conscience as a moral law, pointing to Another above it;
the law that is 'in us, yet not of us'--not the 'autonomy' of Kant,
but a _theonomy_--bearing witness to a legislator above. It is the
moral echo within the soul of a Voice louder and vaster without. And,
as evidence, it is direct and intuitive, not inferential. The latter
is the argument of Kant, (in which he was anticipated by several,
notably by Raimund of Sabunde.) It is indirect and inferential, based
upon the present phenomena of our moral nature. The moral law declares
that evil is punishable and to be punished, that virtue is rewardable
and to be rewarded; but in this life they are not so: therefore, said
Kant, there must be a futurity in which the rectification will take
place, and a moral arbiter by whom it will be effected.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account