The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 7 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private — John Shaqi
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 7 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
Philosophy
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 7 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
the circle of metaphysical sciences. This work, which is on Ethics, I
have not seen, but suspect I shall differ from it in its foundation,
although not in its deductions. I gather from his other works that he
adopts the principle of Hobbes, that justice is founded in contract
solely, and does not result from the construction of man. I believe, on
the contrary, that it is instinct and innate, that the moral sense is as
much a part of our constitution as that of feeling, seeing, or hearing;
as a wise creator must have seen to be necessary in an animal destined
to live in society; that every human mind feels pleasure in doing good
to another; that the non-existence of justice is not to be inferred from
the fact that the same act is deemed virtuous and right in one society
which is held vicious and wrong in another; because, as the circumstances
and opinions of different societies vary, so the acts which may do them
right or wrong must vary also; for virtue does not consist in the act
we do, but in the end it is to effect. If it is to effect the happiness
of him to whom it is directed, it is virtuous, while in a society under
different circumstances and opinions, the same act might produce pain,
and would be vicious. The essence of virtue is in doing good to others,
while what is good may be one thing in one society, and its contrary
in another. Yet, however we may differ as to the foundation of morals,
(and as many foundations have been assumed as there are writers on the
subject nearly,) so correct a thinker as Tracy will give us a sound
system of morals. And, indeed, it is remarkable, that so many writers,
setting out from so many different premises, yet meet all in the same
conclusions. This looks as if they were guided, unconsciously, by the
unerring hand of instinct.
Your history of the Jesuits, by what name of the author or other
description is it to be inquired for?
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