Ethics, general and special
Publisher: The Macmillan Company
Published: 1920
Place of publication: New York, USA
Language: eng
Table of contents: title: CONTENTS; title: PART I; title: GENERAL ETHICS; title: Introduction Pages 1-7; title: Thesis I. Every agent works unto an end. This end is truly a cause. The will in all its deliberate movements has some definite last end, whether strictly or relatively such Pages 7-18; title: Thesis II. Man of his very nature desires complete happiness. Complete happiness is man's absolutely last end subjectively taken. This natural desire must be possible of fulfillment. No created good can secure to man complete happiness. The possession of God is alone complete happiness, and God ia man's absolutely last end objectively taken  Pages 18-28; title: Thesis III. Man's destiny in this life, his supremest happiness on earth, consists in drawing closer and closer to his last end by the establishment of moral rectitude in his actions. Between good and bad in the moral order, between right and wrong, an essential, intrinsic difference exists. The immediate measure of moral rectitude is the objective order of things as understood by the intellect; the mediate measure is God's wisdom and goodness Pages 28-41; title: Thesis IV. A Natural Law, unchangeable, universal, eternal, has place in man ; its complete and full sanction is reserved for the next life; and eternal punishment is not opposed to God's goodness. This Natural Law is the foundation and corner-stone of all Positive Law Pages 41-70; title: Thesis V. The five causes of morality, final, material, formal, model and efficient. Generic and specific morality. Objective and subjective morality. Good, bad and indifferent acts. Morality's subjective measure is synderesis and conscience. Morality's efficient case is intellect and will. Appetite, the passions, and will. Morality's root is freedom of will. Voluntary and involuntary acts. End and intention. Morality's obstacles, ignorance and error affect the intellect; the passions, notably fear, affect the will; violence affects executive not appetitive faculties, ordered not elicited acts Pages 70-92; title: Thesis VI. A human act gets its specific morality from the object of the act, from the agent's end or purpose, and from circumstances affecting both Pages 92-101; title: Thesis VII. Probabilism is a safe and correct system in matters of conscience Pages 101-110; title: Thesis VIII. Virtues and Vices Pages 110-122; title: Thesis IX. Character and Habits Pages 122-127; title: Thesis X. Rights and Duties Pages 127-137; title: Thesis XI. Contracts Pages 137-144; title: Thesis XII. Interest Pages 144-149; title: Thesis XIII. Merit and Demerit Pages 149-152; title: Thesis XIV. Utilitarianism is wrong, dangerous and absurd Pages 152-170; title: Thesis XV. Kant's autonomy of reason is wrong  Pages 170-175; title: PART II; title: SPECIAL ETHICS; title: Introduction Pages 176-177; title: Thesis I. Religion is man's first duty, a matter of essential necessity to the individual and to the state. Worship, interior and exterior, public and private, is God's due. Man's duty towards revelation is to accept it, when known as such; to diligently seek and find it, when hidden, and when he has reason to suppose that it exists. Toleration in matter of dogma is absurd Pages 177-201; title: Thesis II. Suicide is a sin against nature. Death inflicted in self-defense is under certain conditions justifiable. Private duels are highly absurd and contrary to the Law of Nature Pages 201-225; title: Thesis III. A lie is always and of its very nature wrong. To safeguard a proportionate right the use of a broad mental reservation is allowed Pages 225-241; title: Thesis IV. Man's right to ownership, whether temporary or lasting, is derived to him not from any formal compact nor from any civil law, but from nature  Pages 241-260; title: Thesis V. Socialism is false in its principles, morally impossible in itself, and quite absurd Pages 260-280; title: Thesis VI. The right remedy for labor troubles is union between employers and workmen, based on inequality; consulting the interests of both in such a way, that they enjoy life and its comforts along with freedom and peace Pages 280-289; title: Thesis VII. Marriage is honorable and in harmony with man's dignity Pages 280-300; title: Thesis VIII. Celibacy, when love of virtue is its motive, is more excellent than marriage Pages 300-311; title: Thesis IX. Polygamy, though not against strict Natural Law, little accords with it Pages 311-318; title: Thesis X. Incomplete divorce, or separation without any attempt to contract a new marriage, is sometimes allowable. Complete divorce, or separation affecting the marriage tie, though not evidently opposed to strict Natural Law in every conceivable case, is nevertheless out of harmony with that secondary Law of Nature, which counsels the proper Pages 318-342; title: Thesis XI. Education of children belongs to parents first; to State, last Pages 342-358; title: Thesis XII. Man is by very nature a social being Pages 358-366; title: Thesis XIII. A multitude and authority, or subjects and a ruler, are elements essential to civil society or the state Pages 366-371; title: Thesis XIV. Authority proceeds immediately from God. In the nature of things and ordinarily authority is not conferred on the people. Ordinarily and in the nature of things the consent of the people fixes or determines the person in whom authority resides. It may be implied or expressed; immediate or gradual; and cannot always be withheld Pages 371-388; title: Thesis XV. Woman suffrage, though legitimate in exceptional cases, is fraught with dangers Pages 388-398; title: Thesis XVI. The State enjoys full Legislative Executive and Judicial rights, the prerogative of Eminent Domain, and the War-Power Pages 398-404