Nevertheless, it seems to me undeniable that the practical affinity
between Utilitarianism and Intuitionism is really much greater than
that between the two forms of Hedonism. My grounds for holding this
will be given at length in subsequent chapters. Here I will only
observe that many moralists who have maintained as practically valid
the judgments of right and wrong which the Common Sense of mankind
seems intuitively to enunciate, have yet regarded General Happiness as
an end to which the rules of morality are the best means, and have held
that a knowledge of these rules was implanted by Nature or revealed by
God for the attainment of this end. Such a belief implies that, though
I am bound to take, as _my_ ultimate standard in acting, conformity to
a rule which is for me absolute, still the natural or Divine reason
for the rule laid down is Utilitarian. On this view, the _method_ of
Utilitarianism is certainly rejected: the connexion between right
action and happiness is not ascertained by a process of reasoning.
But we can hardly say that the Utilitarian principle is altogether
rejected: rather the limitations of the human reason are supposed to
prevent it from apprehending adequately the real connexion between the
true principle and the right rules of conduct. This connexion, however,
has always been to a large extent recognised by all reflective persons.
Indeed, so clear is it that in most cases the observance of the
commonly received moral rules tends to render human life tranquil and
happy, that even moralists (as Whewell) who are most strongly opposed
to Utilitarianism have, in attempting to exhibit the “necessity” of
moral rules, been led to dwell on utilitarian considerations.
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