The ethics of Hercules : $b A study of man's body as the sole determinant of ethical valuesGivler, Robert Chenault
Philosophy
The ethics of Hercules : $b A study of man's body as the sole determinant of ethical values
Givler, Robert Chenault
Ethics; Psychophysiology
“One could scarcely construct a more erroneous view than that every
human being is endowed at birth with the same ‘lump sum’ of freedom,
which remains an inalienable possession throughout life. Our freedom
is not complete, it is in the making.... The process by which freedom
is won is the process of enlightenment. It is the truth that sets men
free, the clear perception of moral relations and moral laws, the
understanding of human nature and its true needs.”
W. G. EVERETT, “Moral Values,” pp. 358-9.
One of the most revolutionary changes which the scientific study of
psychology has wrought consists in the demolition of all the barriers
which formerly divided the body from the mind. The intellect, once
securely enthroned as the highest faculty in the mental hierarchy;
the reason, erstwhile religiously devoted to the contemplation
of pure truth; and the will, which formerly completed this trio
of sublime, unitary faculties, have, in the unbiased and careful
scrutiny of laboratory science, been shown to be not only highly
complicated processes, but products of experience as well; and not
only products of experience, but functions of brain and gland.
Furthermore, they have been revealed to be not solely functions of a
biological mechanism controlled by external stimuli, but also in a
larger sense they are now regarded as means by which the body of a
man adjusts itself to and gains control of its physical and social
environments. No longer do we ask the old question: “Why has the mind
a body?” but rather, “Why does the body have a mind?” And the answer
is: The body has a mind to enable the body to experiment with its
environment so that when it gets what it seems to want, it can know
that it has really wanted what it has gotten.
Some results of this highly reconstructive iconoclasm upon ethical
thought have already been depicted in the preceding chapters. Here
we are soon to see what effect such a doctrine has upon the last two
ethical concepts we shall analyze, namely, duty and freedom.
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