IntheprecedingchapterIhaveleftundeterminedtheemotionalcharacteristicsoftheimpulsethatpromptsustoobeythedictatesofReason。Ihavedonesobecausetheseseemtobeverydifferentindifferentminds,andeventovarymuchandrapidlyinthesamemind,withoutanycorrespondingvariationinthevolitionaldirectionoftheimpulse。Forinstance,inthemindofarationalEgoisttherulingimpulseisgenerallywhatButlerandHutchesoncalla``calm’’
or``cool’’self-love:whereasinthemanwhotakesuniversalhappinessastheendandstandardofrightconduct,thedesiretodowhatisjudgedtobereasonableassuchiscommonlyblendedinvaryingdegreeswithsympathyandphilanthropicenthusiasm。Again,ifoneconceivesthedictatingReason——whateveritsdictatesmaybe——asexternaltooneself,thecognitionofrightnessisaccompaniedbyasentimentofReverenceforAuthority;whichmaybysomebeconceivedimpersonally,butismorecommonlyregardedastheauthorityofasupremePerson,sothatthesentimentblendswiththeaffectionsnormallyexcitedbypersonsindifferentrelations,andbecomesReligious。ThisconceptionofReasonasanexternalauthority,againstwhichtheself-willrebels,isoftenirresistiblyforcedonthereflectivemind:atothertimes,however,theidentityofReasonandSelfpresentsitselfasanimmediateconviction,andthenReverenceforAuthoritypassesoverintoSelf-respect;
andtheoppositeandevenmorepowerfulsentimentofFreedomiscalledin,ifweconsidertherationalSelfasliabletobeenslavedbytheusurpingforceofsensualimpulses。QuitedifferentagainaretheemotionsofAspirationorAdmirationarousedbytheconceptionofVirtueasanidealofMoralBeauty。Otherphasesofemotionmightbementioned,allhavingwiththesethecommoncharacteristicthattheyareinseparablefromanapparentcognition——implicitorexplicit,directorindirect——ofrightnessintheconducttowhichtheyprompt。Thereare,nodoubt,importantdifferencesinthemoralvalueandefficacyofthesedifferentemotions,towhichIshallhereaftercallattention;buttheirprimarypracticaleffectdoesnotappeartovarysolongasthecognitionofrightnessremainsunchanged。ItisthenwiththesecognitionsthatEthics,inmyview,isprimarilyconcerned:itsobjectistofreethemfromdoubtanderror,andsystematisethemasfaraspossible。
Thereis,however,oneviewofthefeelingswhichprompttovoluntaryaction,whichissometimesthoughttocutshortallcontroversyastotheprinciplesonwhichsuchactionoughttoberegulated。
Imeantheviewthatvolitionisalwaysdeterminedbypleasuresorpainsactualorprospective。Thisdoctrine——whichImaydistinguishasPsychologicalHedonism——isoftenconnectedandnotseldomconfoundedwiththemethodofEthicswhichIhavecalledEgoisticHedonism;andnodoubtitseemsatfirstsightanaturalinferencethatifoneendofaction——myownpleasureorabsenceofpain——isdefinitelydeterminedformebyunvaryingpsychologicallaws,adifferentendcannotbeprescribedformebyReason。
Reflection,however,showsthatthisinferenceinvolvestheunwarrantedassumptionthataman’spleasureandpainaredeterminedindependentlyofhismoraljudgments:whereasitismanifestlypossiblethatourprospectofpleasureresultingfromanycourseofconductmaylargelydependonourconceptionofitasrightorotherwise:andinfactthepsychologicaltheoryabovementionedwouldrequireustosupposethatthisisnormallythecasewithconscientiouspersons,whohabituallyactinaccordancewiththeirmoralconvictions。Theconnexionoftheexpectationofpleasurefromanactwiththejudgmentthatitisrightmaybedifferentindifferentcases:wecommonlyconceiveatrulymoralmanasonewhofindspleasureindoingwhathejudgestoberightbecausebesojudgesit:but,evenwheremoralsensibilityisweak,expectationofpleasurefromanactmaybeanecessaryconsequentofajudgmentthatitisright,throughabeliefinthemoralgovernmentoftheworldsomehowharmonisingVirtueandSelf-interest。
I
thereforeconcludethatthereisnonecessaryconnexionbetweenthepsychologicalpropositionthatpleasureorabsenceofpaintomyselfisalwaystheactualultimateendofmyaction,andtheethicalpropositionthatmyowngreatesthappinessorpleasureisformetherightultimateend。Itmay,however,berepliedthatiftheformerpropositionbeacceptedinthesamequantitativelypreciseformasthelatter——ifitisadmittedthatImustbyalawofmynaturealwaysaimatthegreatestpossiblepleasureorleastpaintomyself——thenatleastIcannotconceiveanyaimconflictingwiththistobeprescribedbyReason。Andthisseemstomeundeniable。
If,asBenthamaffirms,``ontheoccasionofeveryactheexercises,everyhumanbeingis’’inevitably``ledtopursuethatlineofconductwhich,accordingtohisviewofthecase,takenbyhimatthemoment,willbeinthehighestdegreecontributorytohisowngreatesthappiness’’[3],then,toanyonewhoknowsthis,itmustbecomeinconceivablethatReasondictatestohimtopursueanyotherlineofconduct。Butatthesametime,asitseemstome,thepropositionthathe`ought’topursuethatlineofconductbecomesnolessclearlyincapableofbeingaffirmedwithanysignificance。Forapsychologicallawinvariablyrealisedinmyconductdoesnotadmitofbeingconceivedas`aprecept’or`dictate’ofreason:
thislattermustbearulefromwhichIamconsciousthatitispossibletodeviate。Idonot,however,thinkthatthepropositionquotedfromBenthamwouldbeaffirmedwithoutqualificationbyanyofthewriterswhonowmaintainpsychologicalHedonism。Theywouldadmit,withJ。S。Mill,thatmenoften,notfrommerelyintellectualdeficiencies,butfrom``infirmityofcharacter,maketheirelectionforthenearergood,thoughtheyknowittobelessvaluable:andthisnolesswhenthechoiceisbetweentwobodilypleasures?theypursuesensualindulgencestotheinjuryofhealth,thoughperfectlyawarethathealthisthegreatergood。’’[5]
Thisbeingso,EgoisticHedonismbecomesapossibleethicalidealtowhichpsychologicalHedonismseemstopoint。Ifitcanbeshownthattheultimateaimofeachofusinactingisalwayssolelysomepleasureorabsenceofpaintohimself,thedemonstrationcertainlysuggeststhateachoughttoseekhisowngreatestpleasure。Ashasbeensaid,nocogentinferenceispossiblefromthepsychologicalgeneralisationtotheethicalprinciple:
butthemindhasanaturaltendencytopassfromtheonepositiontotheother:iftheactualultimatespringsofourvolitionarealwaysourownpleasuresandpains,itseemsprimafaciereasonabletobemovedbytheminproportiontotheirpleasantnessandpainfulness,andthereforetochoosethegreatestpleasureorleastpainonthewhole。Further,thispsychologicaldoctrineseemstoconflictwithanethicalviewwidelyheldbypersonswhosemoralconsciousnessishighlydeveloped:viz。thatanact,tobeinthehighestsensevirtuous,mustnotbedonesolelyforthesakeoftheattendantpleasure,evenifthatbethepleasureofthemoralsense;sothatifIdoanactfromthesoledesireofobtainingtheglowofmoralself-approbationwhichIbelievewillattenditsperformance,theactwillnotbetrulyvirtuous。
ItseemsthereforeimportanttosubjectpsychologicalHedonism,eveninitsmoreindefiniteform,toacarefulexamination。
Itwillbewelltobeginbydefiningmorepreciselythequestionatissue。
First,Iwillconcedethatpleasureisakindoffeelingwhichstimulatesthewilltoactionstendingtosustainorproduceit,——tosustainit,ifactuallypresent,andtoproduceit,ifitbeonlyrepresentedinidea——;
andsimilarlypainisakindoffeelingwhichstimulatestoactionstendingtoremoveoravertit。[1]ItseemsconvenienttocallthefeltvolitionalstimulusinthetwocasesrespectivelyDesireandAversion;thoughitshouldbeobservedthattheformertermisordinarilyrestrictedtotheimpulsefeltwhenpleasureisnotactuallypresent,butonlyrepresentedinidea。
Thequestionatissue,then,isnotwhetherpleasure,presentorrepresented,isnormallyaccompaniedbyanimpulsetoprolongtheactualorrealisetherepresentedfeeling,andpaincorrespondinglybyaversion:butwhethertherearenodesiresandaversionswhichhavenotpleasuresandpainsfortheirobjects——noconsciousimpulsestoproduceoravertresultsotherthantheagent’sownfeelings。InthetreatisetowhichIhavereferred,Millexplainsthat``desiringathing,andfindingitpleasant,are,inthestrictnessoflanguage,twomodesofnamingthesamepsychologicalfact。’’Ifthisbethecase,itishardtoseehowthepropositionwearediscussingrequirestobedeterminedby``practisedself-consciousnessandself-observation’’;asthedenialofitwouldinvolveacontradictioninterms。ThetruthisthatanambiguityinthewordPleasurehastendedtoconfusethediscussionofthisquestion。Whenwespeakofamandoingsomething``athispleasure’’,or``ashepleases’’,weusuallysignifythemerefactofvoluntarychoice:notnecessarilythattheresultaimedatissomeprospectivefeelingofthechooser。Now,ifby``pleasant’’
wemerelymeanthatwhichinfluenceschoice,exercisesacertainattractiveforceonthewillitisanassertionincontrovertiblebecausetautological,tosaythatwedesirewhatispleasant——oreventhatwedesireathinginproportionasitappearspleasant。Butifwetake``pleasure’’todenotethekindoffeelings,abovedefined,itbecomesareallydebateablequestionwhethertheendtowhichourdesiresarealwaysconsciouslydirectedistheattainmentbyourselvesofsuchfeelings。AndthisiswhatwemustunderstandMilltoconsider``soobvious,thatitwillhardlybedisputed’’。
Itisrathercurioustofindthatoneofthebest-knownofEnglishmoralistsregardstheexactoppositeofwhatMillthinkssoobvious,asbeingnotmerelyauniversalfactofourconsciousexperience,butevenanecessarytruth。Butler,asiswellknown,distinguishesself-love,ortheimpulsetowardsourownpleasure,from``particularmovementstowardsparticularexternalobjects-honour,power,theharm。orgoodofanother’’;
theactionsproceedingfromwhichare``nootherwiseinterestedthanaseveryactionofeverycreaturemustfromthenatureofthecasebe;fornoonecanactbutfromadesire,orchoice,orpreferenceofhisown’’。
Suchparticularpassionsorappetitesare,begoesontosay,``necessarilypresupposedbytheveryideaofaninterestedpursuit;sincetheveryideaofinterestorhappinessconsistsinthis,thatanappetiteoraffectionenjoysitsobject。’’Wecouldnotpursuepleasureatall,unlesswehaddesiresforsomethingelsethanpleasure;forpleasureconsistsinthesatisfactionofjustthese``disinterested’’impulses。
Butlerhascertainlyover-statedhiscase,sofarasmyownexperiencegoes;formanypleasures,——especiallythoseofsight,hearingandsmell,togetherwithmanyemotionalpleasures,——occurtomewithoutanyperceptiblerelationtopreviousdesires,anditseemsquiteconceivablethatourprimarydesiresmightbeentirelydirectedtowardssuchpleasuresasthese。Butasamatteroffact,itappearstomethatthroughoutthewholescaleofmyimpulses,sensual,emotional,andintellectualalike,Icandistinguishdesiresofwhichtheobjectissomethingotherthanmyownpleasure。
Iwillbeginbytakinganillustrationofthisfromtheimpulsescommonlyplacedlowestinthescale。Theappetiteofhunger,sofarasIcanobserve,isadirectimpulsetotheeatingoffood。
Sucheatingisnodoubtcommonlyattendedwithanagreeablefeelingofmoreorlessintensity;butitcannot,Ithink,bestrictlysaidthatthisagreeablefeelingistheobjectofhunger,andthatitistherepresentationofthispleasure。whichstimulatesthewillofthehungrymanassuch。
Ofcourse,hungerisfrequentlyandnaturallyaccompaniedwithanticipationofthepleasureofeating:butcarefulintrospectionseemstoshowthatthetwoarebynomeansinseparable。Andevenwhentheyoccurtogetherthepleasureseemsproperlytheobjectnotoftheprimaryappetite,butofasecondarydesirewhichcanbedistinguishedfromtheformer;sincethegourmand,inwhomthissecondarydesireisstrong,isoftenpromptedbyittoactionsdesignedtostimulatehunger,andoften,again,isledtocontroltheprimaryimpulse,inordertoprolongandvarytheprocessofsatisfyingit。
Indeeditissoobviousthathungerissomethingdifferentfromthedesireforanticipatedpleasure,thatsomewritershaveregardeditsvolitionalstimulusandthatofdesiregenerallyasacaseofaversionfrompresentpain。This,however,seemstomeadistinctmistakeinpsychologicalclassification。Nodoubtdesireisastateofconsciousness。
Sofarsimilartopain,thatinbothwefeelastimuluspromptingustopassfromthepresentstateintoadifferentone。Butaversionfrompainisanimpulsetogetoutofthepresentstateandpassintosomeotherstatewhichisonlynegativelyrepresentedasdifferentfromthepresent:
whereasindesireassuch,theprimaryimpulseistowardstherealisationofsomepositivefutureresult。Itistruethatwhenastrongdesireis,foranyreason,baulkedofitseffectincausingaction,itisgenerallypainfulinsomedegree:andsoasecondaryaversiontothestateofdesireisgenerated,whichblendsitselfwiththedesireandmayeasilybeconfoundedwithit。Buthere,again,wemaydistinguishthetwoimpulsesbyobservingthedifferentkindsofconducttowhichtheyoccasionallyprompt:fortheaversiontothepainofungratifieddesire,thoughitmayactasanadditionalstimulustowardsthegratificationofthedesire,mayalsoandoftendoes
promptustogetridofthepainbysuppressingthedesire。
Thequestionwhetheralldesirehasinsomedegreethequalityofpain,isoneofpsychologicalratherthanethicalinterest;solongasitisadmittedthatitisoftennotpainfulinanydegreecomparabletoitsintensityasdesire,sothatitsvolitionalimpulsecannotbeexplainedasacaseofaversiontoitsownpainfulness。