The Origin of the Knowledge of Right and WrongBrentano, Franz
Philosophy
The Origin of the Knowledge of Right and Wrong
Brentano, Franz
Ethics
[24] (_p. 15_). The discovery that every act of love is a “pleasing,”
every act of hate a “displeasing,” was very near to Descartes when
he wrote his valuable little work on _The Affections_. In the second
book, _Des Passions_, ii. art. 139, he says: “Lorsque les choses
qu’elles (l’amour et la haine) nous portent à aimer sont véritablement
bonnes, et celles qu’elles nous portent à haïr, sont véritablement
mauvaises, l’amour est incomparablement meilleure que la haine; elle
ne saurait être trop grande et elle ne manque jamais de produire la
joie”; and this agrees with what he says a little later: “La haine, au
contraire ne saurait être si petite qu’elle ne nuise, et elle n’est
jamais sans tristesse.”
In ordinary life, however, the expressions “joy” and “sadness,”
“pleasure” and “pain” are only used when the pleasure and displeasure
have attained a certain degree of liveliness. A sharp boundary in
this unscientific division there is not; we may, however, be allowed
to make use of it as it stands. It is enough that the expressions,
“pleasure” and “displeasure” are not narrowed down by any such limit.
[25] (_p. 16_). The expressions “true” and “false” are employed in a
manifold sense; in one sense we employ them in speaking of true and
false judgments; again (somewhat modifying the meaning), of objects,
as when we say, “a true friend,” “false money.” I need scarcely
observe that where I use the expressions “true” and “false” in this
lecture, I associate therewith not the first and proper meaning, but
rather a metaphorical one having reference to objects. True, is,
therefore, what is; false, what is not. Just as Aristotle spoke of “ὂν
ὡς ἀληθές” so we might also say, “ἀληθές ὡς ὂν.”
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