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Advanced Course in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism386
of today tells us is “wrong.” People have been burned at the stake—have
had holes bored in their tongues—have been tortured physically and
mentally at the dictates of the consciences of the persecutors, who were
just as sincere as those whom they persecuted.
If the principle of “conscience” were implicitly followed, the “conscience”
of the majority might make things very unpleasant for the minority, as it has
happened many times in the past. So, you see, the theory that “conscience”
as an infallible guide may be attacked severely by its opponents. And yet,
the Yogi Philosophy of Dharma, while recognizing these objections, also
sees much truth in the theory of intuition or “conscience,” and welds it into
place in its system, as we shall see later on in this lesson.
(3) The Theory of Utility. This theory often is attacked severely on the
ground that it is a purely selfish idea—that the basis of morality offered
is “happiness”—the happiness of the individual modified by the happiness
of those around him—“the greatest happiness to the greatest number,” in
short—and that such a basis fails to recognize the higher destiny of man,
being based entirely upon his earthly and material existence. To this the
utilitarian very naturally answers that any code of conduct has a more or
less selfish basis, inasmuch as a man doing certain things, and refraining
from doing certain other things, by reason of hope of Divine approval and
reward, or fear of Divine displeasure and punishment, is as selfish as one
who is actuated by the idea of material happiness or unhappiness. Another
objection urged is that acting under it the average man would be impelled
to get as much happiness for himself as possible, and to bestow as little
happiness upon others as he could help, as there would be no reason
why he should act otherwise—in fact, that he would obey the letter of the
human law, and not go one inch further. Theoretically this objection might
be correct, but, in spite of cold theory, man is open to higher impulses and
motives coming from regions of his soul that the utilitarian philosophy, as
well as its opponents, fail to recognize. A form of this same objection is found
in the idea that the utilitarian philosophy appeals only to the developed