Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-11
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.
A SYSTEM OF MORAL ScIExoE. BIZ LAURxHs P. HiVKoK,
ID. Schenectady. 1853

A SYSTEM OF MORAL ScIExoE. By LAURKHs p. HfVKoK,
ID. Schenectady. 1853.
DR.. HIoKoK is deservedly ranked among the
ablest and most learned of our American metaphy-
sieians, and if, as he asserts the study Of moral
science should be preceded by a familiarity with
mental philosophy, we may fairly presume him en-
titled to discuss the former of the two with all the
advantages that can be derived from familiarity
with the latter We agree with the learned author
that clear apprehension of some of the g founda-
ton facts in mental science forms an almost in
dispensabe introduction to the definite and scienti-
ic construction of system Of morals, though per-
haps we do not attach quite so high an Importance
to such previous knowledge as a prerequisite for
the due practice Of the ethical virtues. These we
think, quite possible without any such antece-
dent science. Having their basis in the depths of
mans spiritual nature, they may be deemed capable
Of spontaneous evolution in the daily life of man
who has never mastered the most rudimentary
principles of either mental or moral science consid-
cred as didactc or dogmatc systems, just in theo
logy we find many who, like Bellarmine, profess to
turn with loathing from the dogmas of school,
divinity, but who nevertheless receive in their
hearts and practice in their lives those very truths
which form stumbling block to their understand
ing. That is, there is spontanety of action in the
rational well as in the animal part Of mans COM
pounded being--a spontaneous energy even more
constant and invariable in the former than in the
latter A knowledge Of the different humors which
compose the eye is no more necessary to the faculty
Of seeing than is perception Of the distinction between
the pure and the practical understanding
say premise the exercise Of logical thinking, than
the discovery of the ultimate rule Of right is qua
to moral conduct.
The object Of moral science, of every other, is to
subject oil the facts that under its cognzance to
some controlling and apervading law or laws which will
avail to bind these facts into homogeneous and symme-
rical system But constrained to believe that
both mental and moral science limit their preten-
sons to the simple coordination Of mental and moral
phenomena; while physical science in addition to this
discovery of certain discriminating principles has widen
ed the sphere of mans agency in nature and has invested
him With powers and enlarged facilities by which to
ASSERT this empire over the world We able per-
that oil the Discoveries Of all the metaphyscians
OIL the generalzatons of all the mSr philosophers have
essentially materially added to the mental moral
powers Of the present generation Nor is there to
mind any thing humilatng in this concession of fact
which may find its explanation in the very nature of the
phenomena in question for these being sefevolvedthe
spontaneous products Of mans rational and spiritual
might reasonably expect to find them uniyer-
sally prevalent and patent for all spontaneous power
develops itself by force of inherent principle which
depends for its efficacy upon the original conditions of its
existence and not upon any Interior combinations of
science All mental and moral power is selfevincive,
and therefore develops itself ab by necessity Of its
being The powers of nature on the contrary, to
great extent latent and passive until human science has
taught the methods by which they may be evoked into
activity and rendered the Of man. The
most that expect with regard to the former is
classify and systematic knowledge, without hoping
rhed fhnSo in
ing and moral acting whereas the investigation of phys
cal phenomena may be the means Of at extending
the boundaries Of knowledge and augmentng
Of mans activity. a.t /.
There those who have questioned the propriety of
applying the orderly arrangement
mental moral phenomena according certain deter
inmate principles Great stress is laid upon the widely
different and very conflicting theories which have been
advanced respecting each but it is Sufficient reply to
all such objections to assert that science becomes pos
sible wherever there fixed laws That the mind and
moral of operate under the consciousness Of
certain nvarabe laws cannot be questioned by any who
is capable of watching his mental habtudes But
be admitted that neither mental moral phenomena
capable Of being reduced to exact science like
mathematics astronomy And in this respect the men
tai and moral sciences do but rest under disadvantage
which proportionaby shared by all sciences the
two have named for, has been said by Ameri
can thinker, in illustration Of this very idea, though
chemistry is science yeritably mathematics, yet
it not science of the kind in the
Scientific conception, applied to chemical phenomena
is very different thing from scientific conception ap
Piled to mathematical subjects, being far less abstract
Scientific deduction in chemistry is also different from
scientific deduction in mathematics being far less logical
xndtherefore less exact Theke reasoning applies oro
to mental and moral science for they relate to phenoe
the concrete the primary laws of which pro-
poronaby difficult to be discovered accurately
ciated.
The obscuriy which rests the department Of morals
is however, after ALL not much result of our inability
discover the principles Of moral conduct Of the
difficulty ascertain the extent and bearing Of the prn
cples themselves. 1t is not much the perception Of
ethical rules that constitutes the embarrassment of
morast the logical application Of these rules to the
solution of doubts whether such and such ambiguous
facts within the scope of his principles Dr. Hickok
has very wisely, think paid but little regard
these questions Of casuisry In Rants Metaphysics
Of Ethics they made to occupy considerable promi
For instance having established the ethical prn
eple that semurder is always and necessarily criminal
he proceeds in his Casustics to inquire whether such
questions the following covered by the principle:
Is it semurder to devote ones SELF like Curtius to
tain death for the liberation Of his country He who
inoculates himself for the small pox hazards his life
uncertainty though he does with view to its
effectusl preservation Is such incubation lawful?
&c Ninetynn such Of doubt might be correctly
solved and yet the hundredth, Mr.. Pickok thinks
would its not M touch he'd w