The Evolution of Morality
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loginWhoever came into the world without an innate idea of good and evil, beauty andugliness, becoming and unbecoming, happiness and misery, proper and improper,what ought to be done and what ought not to be done? Hence we all make use ofthese names, and endeavor to apply our preconceptions to particular cases. “So-and-so has acted well, not well; right, not right; is unhappy, happy; is just, is unjust.” Whoamong refrains from using these names? Who postpones the use of them till he haslearnt them . . . ? The reason for this is that we come instructed in some degree bynature upon these subjects, but from this beginning we go on to add self-conceit.“Why,” you ask, “should I not know what fair and base is? Have I not an idea of it?”—You have. “Do I not apply this idea to particulars?”—You do. “Do I not apply it cor-rectly, then?”—Here lies the whole question; and here arises the self-conceit. . . . Now,since you think you make a suitable application of your preconceptions to particularcases, tell me whence you derive this.Because it seems so to me.
