On this page
- Departments (1)
-
Text (4)
-
The Leading* Objections to Dr. Paley"s Theory of Virtue and Moral Obligation briefly examined.
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
-
Untitled Article
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
The Leading* Objections To Dr. Paley"S Theory Of Virtue And Moral Obligation Briefly Examined.
The Leading * Objections to Dr . Paley " s Theory of Virtue and Moral Obligation briefly examined .
Sin , August 5 , 1826 . FEW works ,- addressed to the reasoning faculties of the mind , have been more extensively useful than those of Archdeacon Paley , and still fewer have succeeded in
attractingthe admiration of so many different parties . Some of his opinions , itmvverr ' -jEfrore paiNfctiteriy in hfe Moral "find Political Phfift&op liy , form an exception to this remark , and there are no points respecting' " which more opposition lias been excited ,
and more vehement censure indulged tban liis definition of vzrtu ^ arid Iris principle of moral obligation . Mr . < 3 isl ) ornre , Or * Pearson ( the late Master of Sidney . College , CainJiridgeV , Mr . Dugald Stewart , Dr . 'fhoni-as
Brown , and several other writers , unite in considering Dr . Paley ^ theory , imu merely as erroneous ; btit as fraught with dangerous cbffisequeiices . It is undoubtedly t&en , a matter of nfr triflifig : Ifriportance td a ^ cert ^ n hdw far this imputation is well foundwxiw
ea jespect to a work in such general estimation , and which lias long been selected as the text-hook for the public examinations on the subject of Ethics in the University of Cambridge . The definition of virtue adopted by this author is taken from the last of the preliminary essays to Archbishop Kite's Ori gin of Evil ; but however closel y the substance may have accorded with his own sentiments , it is to be regretted that he did not correct the language so as to render it tess liahle to misconstruction . "
Virtue is the doinjr good to mankind , in obedience to the will of God , and for »» e sake of everlasting happiness . " 'he good of mankind is here descri-»* lto b « the subject , tlie will of God T , rule : and everlasting happiness tJ ' t **** or obligation of human mue . To tills statement various ot > -
f ^ ftn ? . lu ^ ve been alleged by different ,. h $ ; Awt place / this dofi iiitictfi is * W .- < ftb * d ¥ fectire , ** ud it is wtainjy ue ihu two of the ieadini ? branches
Untitled Article
of morality are not verbally specified , —the personal duties and those which relate to the Deity . Since , however , the diffusion of happiness requires the practice of every class of duties , they may all be said to be virtuallv
included in the expression c < the < ioiug # ood to mankind . " But allowing that in point of form the description is incomplete , yet as the three-f ^ Iti division is made in Uie very- ' saftite chapter , and even in the . next page " , the deficiency cannot possibly " produce any misapprehension in the mind of the student .
Again , it is affirmed thart Dr . Paley ' s description is confined to liumaii virtue , and that it excludes the virtuous coadu < # of Deists- In a work designed for general perusal , * and
more particularly for thofce \ vhd are purstimg a course of edtieatian ; it W < fc obviousiy more condueive to the aiithor % purpose to exainine the sfiLye ^ t with reference to hitman conduct anil
human happiness , than t 6 enter iritb a disquisition of what may be inpUnfhent on moral agents of a higher order in the scale of existence , Antd with regard to the exclusion tff Tufidels , lie has expressly intima ^ tl his
intention of combining the iDStrucv tions of revelation with the tigtitof nature , and has openly dfecldred'Hfe opinion that no consistent sysfeih c ^ an be formed by those who deny the
rfea-IIty of a future state . After this it"is surely unreasonable ' to expect ' f K a tH ^ should generalize his plan ter tliie sake of a small parjy , ( iii this country at leaiH , ) for whom it would
be'difficult to devise any satisfactory obligation , and to whom the precepts ot Christianity , so constantly interwoven with Dr . Paley ' s work , could not convey the slightest authority . A third objection , and one on whidfi
peculiar stress is placed , is directed against the principle of odUgatftitii contended for by this emiawt moralist . And here it is ^^ r ^ B t ^ ^ J ^ some of his opponent ^ hav e n % ^ en sufficiently attentive to the di ? tHi £ -
Untitled Article
¦ XVMCJ ¦ ¦
Untitled Article
¦ ¦ . . .. --¦ , ' .. , j ' _ .. -W - . . - - ' ' "l ^ oTc CXLTX . ] SEPl'EMBEH ; 1 82 ^ : ~~~ [ VoI . XXL "
Untitled Article
• " ¦ -. xxi . 3 u
-
-
Citation
-
Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Sept. 2, 1826, page unpag, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2552/page/1/
-