The Development of Bishop Butler's Ethics

Thomas H. McPherson

doi:10.1017/S0031819100006549

The Development of Bishop Butler's Ethics

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 February 2009

Thomas H. McPherson

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The aim of this article is to show that there are two distinct ethical theories in the writings of Bishop Butler. This is something that his critics do not seem to have realized. One or two of them have seen that the Dissertation on Virtue contains ideas which do not harmonize very well with those of the Rolls Sermons, but no one has made a detailed study of the differences. It has been usual to dismiss them with the remark that Butler is an inconsistent writer and we should not worry too much over details.

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Type: Research Article
Information: Philosophy , Volume 23 , Issue 87 , October 1948, pp. 317 - 331
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031819100006549 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © The Royal Institute of Philosophy 1948

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^{page 317 note 1} Joad, C. E. M., Guide to the Philosophy of Morals and Politics, Chapter VIIIGoogle Scholar.

^{page 317 note 2} Prichard, H. A., “Duty and Interest,” passimGoogle Scholar, and “Does Moral Philosophy Rest on a Mistake?” (Mind, 1912, p. 22)Google Scholar.

^{page 318 note 1} Muirhead, J. H., The Elements of Ethics, p. 78Google Scholar.

^{page 318 note 2} Broad, C. D., Five Types of Ethical Theory, Chapter IIIGoogle Scholar.

^{page 318 note 3} Taylor, A. E., “Some Features of Butler's Ethics” (Mind, 1926)Google Scholar.

^{page 318 note 4} Selby-Bigge, L. A. in the introduction to his British MoralistsGoogle Scholar.

^{page 319 note 1} II, 25. All references to Butler's works are to Gladstone's edition, 1897. The Roman figure refers to the volume, and the Arabic to the page number; thus: I, 56 would mean Volume I, page 56.

^{page 319 note 2} II, 5.

^{page 320 note 1} II, 7–8.

^{page 320 note 2} II, 8.

^{page 320 note 3} II, 9.

^{page 320 note 4} II, 10.

^{page 321 note 1} See e.g. Broad, C. D., Five Types of Ethical Theory, p. 60Google Scholar; Jackson, R., “Bishop Butler's Refutation of Psychological Hedonism” (art. in Philosophy Vol. XVIII, 1943), p. 116Google Scholar.

^{page 321 note 2} II. 34, footnote.

^{page 321 note 3} II, 35.

^{page 322 note 1} II, 31.

^{page 322 note 2} II, 18.

^{page 322 note 3} II, 166.

^{page 322 note 4} II, 173.

^{page 322 note 5} Broad, C. D., Five Types of Ethical Theory, p. 71et seqGoogle Scholar.

^{page 322 note 6} II, 31–33.

^{page 322 note 7} I had come to this conclusion before I found that the same point is made by DrJackson, Reginald in his article on “Bishop Butler's Refutation of Psychological Hedonism” (Philosophy, Vol. XVIII, 1943)Google Scholar.

^{page 323 note 1} II, 167. And cf. II, 173, and II, 169.

^{page 323 note 2} II, 158.

^{page 323 note 3} E.g. II, 34 footnote; II, 52.

^{page 324 note 1} II, 19.

^{page 324 note 2} II, 33.

^{page 324 note 3} II. 22.

^{page 325 note 1} I, 328.

^{page 325 note 2} II, 55.

^{page 326 note 1} II, 60.

^{page 326 note 2} II, 46.

^{page 327 note 1} II, 21.

^{page 327 note 2} II, 173.

^{page 328 note 1} II, 53.

^{page 328 note 2} II, 61.

^{page 329 note 1} II, 64.

^{page 330 note 1} II, 184.

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