Pleasantville weekly press., 1911-10-18
FUNCTIONAL
ETHICS
TExT-By their fruits ye shall know
them.-Matt. 7:20.
By Rev. Clarence Greeley

AS Schopenhauer thought, the solu-
ton OF life is not for US In far on
Isles Of the blessed we are born for
the world OF manly business, task. vo-
cation, function-ethically known BY
cur fruits.
Right function Is progressive ac-
tion. True moral life is like the heart
pulsatioD; 1t ends one beat only to be-
gin another. The twentieth century
philosopher or preacher of ethics must
be something of naturalist to realize
that the functions of the yearning.
struggling will are describable only In
terms of experience; and the human
mind. with, its moral truth or aver
ments. have grown through countless
ages.
The eighteenth century rationalism,
like the n.elieval dogmatism, and the
Greek ideaIism, looked upon the moral
world, not as dynamic or functional.
but static. The nineteenth century
thinkers since Darwin agreed on the
Transformation of species-which had
been regarded since Aristotle, as fixed
and final In form once for all. Men OF
the rationalistic eighteenth century
had much to say of the dignity OF
changeless essential man from the
savage up 20 Shakespeare.
But the nineteenth century proved
that human nature is more like an
organism, not permanent in Its struc-
ture, but capable Of progress or retro
gression. as the outcome of physical,
mental and moral growth of the race
for more than 10000 years; and its
moral dignity is that of untold ages OF
suffering. survival. failure, victory.
progress
Hence the twentieth century preach
er or teacher of ethics should know
our new physiology-the science OF
functions.
Our new psychology is called func-
tional; our new logic is called func-
tional; our new philosophy is really
functional; there is even functional
theology; their truth not sicklied Ger
with the pale cast of thought, but
vital with the pulse beat of life. There
fore, | venture. somewhat timidly. on
June s, before the Fellowship club
In this city, to speak on Functional
Ethics" a term | had not seen IN
print, and Professor Tufts of the Uni
versity of Chicago gives assurance
that no work has ever appeared, to
his knowledge, under that title.
/ do not seek. however. to corner
functional ethics-quite the reverse
but would define the subject in part,
as we follow the rough Bahnpiahl
(new track | am trying to blaze in
the woods, as follows: The ethics
that associates itself with the func-
tions of the body-growing out OF
those and OF society-and the concep-
tions underlying.
The Importance of this method (not
system) is felt not only by conserva-
tive Christians who, as over against
mere rationalistic creeds, have pre-
sentiment that Christ's ethical way
was functional instead of credal or
metaphysical; but as mode OF
thinking, functionalism was also the
only ultimate defence OF Protestant
ism against the papacy. Not only
conservative Christians, as contrasted
with rationa III tic, feel this influence
Of the zeitgeist. but Professor Fostor.
e. g., somew hat different type-fa-
miliar with up-to-date life sciences
affirms that one corLer ssone of twen-
tieth century morality is In our hui
man struggle for lf-pryservation, a
principle inexplicable in all activity
which we call life. The point we are
making is this: The ethics Of the
twentieth century will not be rational
istic but functional; and this fact is
largely the fruit of our new or modern
biology.
The Importance of this fact Is OBJ
vious when we reflect that even the
Renaissance largely ignored common
life (Which Henry Drumnnond defines
as functions); and the so-called "cul-
ture" Of that period denied to ordin-
ary human nature the capacity to de-
velop organs and functions, not only
for its own preservation but develop
ment
Under the gradual influence of our
new biology there is more and more a
tendency to look for true goods in the
normal development Of the vital func-
tions which constitute mans nature
mental, moral and spiritual. as we'll
as physical and economic.
A basis of functional ethics In our
new biology may be thus set forth:
When the organism modiiies its activ-
ity or its structure In response to
changed conditions, those modifica-
tions are called functional adapata-
tions. We would not press the anal
ogy of colonies Of ants and bees to
human society too far. But we may
learn from biology of lower individuals
that each should attempt to preserve
itself. promote progress, and. II It
be member OF higher community.
it should act in the irters is of others
and the whole grovp; thnt 1t Its fun
damental task, vccatScn. function
The practical application OF biolog-
ical fruits to the derivation OF ethics,
not from imaginary standards in by
gone unscientific ages. but from life
functions and TASKS in laboratory.
shop, home, school and church-as
well urgent social topics of the time
lis obvious. not merely ihe teaching