GUIDE TO THE PHILOSOPHY 1938 - 1947.pdf - Rare Books at ...

OBJECTIVE 1NTUITIONISM 195
habitually use such words as "right" and "duty", and that
these words have a meaning for us. Moreover, we are
enabled by reflection to distinguish the meaning of these
words from that of words whose meaning is allied but
different. For example, we distinguish between a right
action and an expedient action; between a wrong action
and one which was well-intentioned, but whose conse-
quences turned out to be unfortunate; between injuring
a person intentionally and unintentionally* There must,
then, says Butler, be a faculty which recognizes these
meanings and distinguishes these differences, just as there
must be a faculty that of vision which distinguishes
red from blue.
The Notion of Merit or Desert Conscience, as But-
ler describes it, is far removed from the blind, instinctive
faculty whose uncontrolled operations are responsible
for so much blame, remorse and mortification in ordinary
life. One knows only too well the people who are ready
to invoke the dictates of their "consciences," whenever
they want an excuse for being disagreeable. . . . Butler's
Conscience is a highly reasonable and reflective faculty;
it is prepared to make allowances and to take account
of circumstances. 'For example, when making its judgment
upon the moral worth of actions, Conscience takes account
of merit or desert. Let us suppose, for instance, that we see
A hurting B. Lacking information as to the reason of
A's action, Conscience cannot but feel an instinctive
a final verdict an
disapproval, but before passing
enlightened conscience would insist on all the information
relevant to a judgment of disapproval being available.
Suppose, for example, that B had committed a serious
and unprovoked offence against A; then it might be
thought that B's present sufferings constituted a well-merited
punishment for his unprovoked offence. Because, in other
words, Conscience judges a particular punishment to be
of an action of which in other
merited, it may approve
circumstances it would disapprove.