=56.= (2) That the value of a pleasurable whole does not belong solely
to the pleasure which it contains, may, I think, be made still plainer
by consideration of another point in which Prof. Sidgwick’s argument
is defective. Prof. Sidgwick maintains, as we saw, the doubtful
proposition, that the _conduciveness_ to pleasure of a thing is in
rough proportion to its commendation by Common Sense. But he does
not maintain, what would be undoubtedly false, that the pleasantness
of every state is in proportion to the commendation of that state.
In other words, it is only when you take into account _the whole
consequences of any state_, that he is able to maintain the coincidence
of quantity of pleasure with the objects approved by Common Sense.
If we consider each state by itself, and ask what is the judgment of
Common Sense as to its goodness _as an end_, quite apart from its
goodness as a means, there can be no doubt that Common Sense holds many
much less pleasant states to be better than many far more pleasant:
that it holds, with Mill, that there are higher pleasures, which are
more valuable, though less pleasant, than those which are lower. Prof.
Sidgwick might, of course, maintain that in this Common Sense is merely
confusing means and ends: that what it holds to be better as an end,
is in reality only better as a means. But I think his argument is
defective in that he does not seem to see sufficiently plainly that,
as far as intuitions of goodness _as an end_ are concerned, he is
running grossly counter to Common Sense; that he does not emphasise
sufficiently the distinction between _immediate_ pleasantness and
_conduciveness_ to pleasure. In order to place fairly before us
the question what is good as an end we must take states that are
immediately pleasant and ask if the more pleasant are always also the
better; and whether, if some that are less pleasant appear to be so, it
is only because we think they are likely to increase the number of the
more pleasant. That Common Sense would deny both these suppositions,
and rightly so, appears to me indubitable. It is commonly held that
certain of what would be called the lowest forms of sexual enjoyment,
for instance, are positively bad, although it is by no means clear that
they are not the most pleasant states we ever experience. Common Sense
would certainly not think it a sufficient justification for the pursuit
of what Prof. Sidgwick calls the ‘refined pleasures’ here and now, that
they are the best means to the future attainment of a heaven, in which
there would be no more refined pleasures--no contemplation of beauty,
no personal affections--but in which the greatest possible pleasure
would be obtained by a perpetual indulgence in bestiality. Yet Prof.
Sidgwick would be bound to hold that, if the greatest possible pleasure
could be obtained in this way, and if it were attainable, such a state
of things would be a heaven indeed, and that all human endeavours
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