=Ambiguity in Term "Feelings."=--There is a certain ambiguity in the
term "feelings" as employed by Mill and Bentham. It may mean feelings
apart from ideas, blind and vague mental states unenlightened by
thought, propelling and impelling tendencies undirected by either memory
or anticipation. Feelings then mean sheer instincts or impulses. In this
sense, they are, as Bentham claims, without moral quality. But also in
this sense there are no intentions with which motives may be contrasted.
So far as an infant or an insane person is impelled by some blind
impulsive tendency, he foresees nothing, has no object in view, means
nothing, in his act; he acts without premeditation and intention.
"Curiosity" of this sort may be the source of acts which are harmful or
useful or indifferent. But no consequences were intelligently foreseen
or deliberately wished for, and hence the acts in question lie wholly
outside the scope of morals, even according to the utilitarian point of
view. Morality is a matter of intent, and intent there was none.
=Motive as Intelligent.=--In some cases, then, motives have no moral
quality whatsoever, and, _in these cases_, it is true that intention has
no moral quality either, because there is none. Intention and motive
are morally on the same level, not opposed to one another. But motive
means not only blind feeling, that is, impulse without thought; it also
means a tendency which is aware of its own probable outcome when carried
into effect, and which is interested in the resulting effect. It is
perhaps conceivable that a child should let loose a bull in a crowd from
sheer innocent curiosity to see what would happen--just as he might pour
acid on a stone. But if he were a normal child, the next time the
impulse presented itself he would recall the previous result: the
fright, the damage, the injury to life and limb, and would foresee that
similar consequences are likely to happen if he again performs a like
act. He now has what Bentham and Mill call an intention. Suppose he
again lets loose the bull. Only verbally is motive now the same that it
was before. In fact, curiosity is a very different thing. If the child
is still immature and inexperienced and unimaginative, we might content
ourselves with saying that his motive is egoistic amusement; but we may
also say it is downright malevolence characteristic of a criminal. In no
case should we call it curiosity. When foresight enters, intent, purpose
enters also, and with it a change of motive from innocent, because
blind, impulse, to deliberate, and hence to virtuous or blameworthy
interest in effecting a certain result. Intention and motive are upon
the same moral level. Intention is the _outcome_ foreseen and wanted;
motive, this outcome _as_ foreseen and wanted. But the voluntary act, as
such, is an _outcome, forethought and desired_, and hence attempted.
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