Problems of Conduct: An Introductory Survey of Ethics — John Shaqi
Problems of Conduct: An Introductory Survey of EthicsDrake, Durant
Philosophy
Problems of Conduct: An Introductory Survey of Ethics
Drake, Durant
Ethics
laws; it was a matter of instinct and emotion long before it was a
matter of calculation or conscience. The most primitive men acknowledge
a duty to their neighbors; and the subsequent advance of social morality
has consisted simply in more and more comprehensive answers to the
questions, What is my duty? and Who is my neighbor? At first, the
neighbor was the fellow tribesman only, all outsiders being deemed
fair prey. Every member of the clan instinctively arose to avenge an
injury to any other member, and rejoiced in triumphs over their common
foes. We still have survivals of this primitive code in the Corsican
vendettas and Kentucky feuds. With the growth of nations, the cooperative
spirit came to embrace wider and wider circles; but even as yet there
is little of it in international relations. The old double standard
of morality persists in spite of the command to which we give theoretic
allegiance-"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love
thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your
enemies!" From the same lips came the final answer to the question,
"Who is my neighbour?" It can be found in the tenth chapter of the
Gospel according to Luke. By what means was social morality produced?
(1) The earliest source of social morality lies in the maternal
instinct; the first animal that took care of its young stood at the
beginning of this wonderful advance. The originating causes of the
first slight care of eggs or offspring lay, no doubt, in some obscure
physiological readjustments, due to forces irrelevant to morality.
But the young that had even such slight care had a survival advantage
over their rivals, and would transmit the rudimentary instinct to their
offspring. Thus, given a start in that direction, natural selection,
steadily favoring the more maternally disposed, produced species with
a highly developed and long continuing maternal love. In similar manner
but in lesser degree a paternal instinct was developed. The existence
of these instincts implied the power of sympathy and altruistic action
that is, action by one individual for another's welfare. From sympathy
for offspring to sympathy for mate and other members of the group was
but a step; and all sympathetic action may have its ultimate source
in mother love.
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