An Examination of the Utilitarian Philosophy

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1870 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XX. ON THE CLAIM OF UTILITARIANISM TO BE THE MORALITY OF PROGRESS. [ We have now seen three ways in which utilitarianism puts itself forward as the Morality of Progress; first of all, on the ground of its method, as being based on the modern inductive philosophy; secondly, as giving their true meaning to the words 'progress, 'improvement, 'civilization, and supplying to these both a guiding principle and a standard by which they may be tested; thirdly, as the representative of positivism in respect of its getting rid of theological and mystical ideas, and making man his own sole object. The two former claims have been treated of in previous chapters; in this chapter the author, after speaking shortly of the third claim, proceeds to examine a fourth claim, which may be considered to be especially put forward by Mr Mill in favour of his own neo-utilitarianism, on the ground of its connexion with the idea of equality.1] Human The tendency of a portion of philosophy, at pre supposed sent, is to make human happiness distinct before us, p'HiosT as DEGREESne one an that it religious sentiment, to make humanity or human object of our worship. No do 1 This paragraph is added by the editor. n'seif its nature the object of our worship. No doubt history and experience have given to human nature, in this own object age of the world, a distinct notion of itself as exist- and even ing on earth, and of the earth on which it exists, of worehlPwhich was not possessed at earlier periods. We may figure this to ourselves under the form of a developed self-consciousness on the part of human nature, analogous to the fuller and...