On the Ethics of NaturalismSorley, W. R. (William Ritchie)
Philosophy
On the Ethics of Naturalism
Sorley, W. R. (William Ritchie)
Ethics; Ethics, Evolutionary
[173] Bentham, Theory of Legislation (by Dumont, 1876), p. 103 ff.
Wundt, Physiologische Psychologie, 2d ed., p. 469, finds in this
an instance of Weber's law. Thus, the man with £100 receives the
same pleasure on receipt of £1, as the possessor of £1000 does on
receiving £10. As Wundt remarks, however, this is only true within
certain limits. Sixpence may give more pleasure to a beggar who is
never far from the starvation-point, than the clearing of a million
to Baron Rothschild. Further than this, the law only states an
"abstract" truth. For the susceptibility to pleasure is not only
very different in different individuals, but this difference depends
on many other circumstances than the amount of wealth already in
possession,--such as original emotional susceptibility, &c.
[174] Cf. Comte, Positive Philosophy, ii. 144.
[175] Phän. d. s. B., p. 640.
[176] Lectures on Metaphysics, ii. 432.
[177] L. Dumont, Théorie scientifique de la sensibilité, 2d ed., p.
83; cf. F. Bouillier, Du plaisir et de la douleur, 2d ed., p. 29 ff.
Reference may also be made to the leading psychological text-book.
"Das Gefühl," says Volkmann (Lehrbuch der Psychologie, § 127, 3d ed.,
ii. 300), "ist nämlich keine eigene Vorstellung neben den anderen
(es gibt keine eigenen 'Gefühlsvorstellungen'), ja überhaupt gar
keine Vorstellung." Professor Bain's view is different, but does
not altogether prevent him from acknowledging the subjectivity of
feeling: "Without intellectual images clearly recollected, we do not
remember feelings; the reproduction of feeling is an intellectual
fact, and the groundwork is intellectual imagery."--Emotions, p. 63.
[178] Cf. Green, Introduction to Hume, ii. § 7.
[179] Cf. Spinoza, Ethica, iii. 11, schol.; Hobbes, Leviathan, i. 6,
p. 25; Bain, The Senses and the Intellect, p. 283. Professor Bain's
statement is carefully guarded: "A very considerable number of the
facts may be brought under the following principle--namely, that
states of pleasure are connected with an increase, and states of pain
with an abatement, of some, or all, of the vital functions."
[180] As Mr Spencer allows, Psychology, § 126, i. 284: "In the case
of mankind, then, there has arisen, and must long continue, a deep
and involved derangement of the natural connections between pleasures
and beneficial actions, and between pains and detrimental actions."
[181] The Senses and the Intellect, p. 286. The Law of Conservation
is incomplete, Mr Bain holds, and must be supplemented by the Law of
Stimulation (p. 294).
[182] Spencer, Psychology, § 123, i. 277: "Generally speaking,
then, pleasures are the concomitants of medium activities, where
the activities are of kinds liable to be in excess or in defect;
and where they are of kinds not liable to be excessive, pleasure
increases as the activity increases, except where the activity is
either constant or involuntary."
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account