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

THE PROBLEM OP FREE WILL 963
-than a bad, an unselfish than a selfish. So far, then, as the
Reference to which we deem a
qualities of character, by
man virtuous, are concerned, we have a general disposition
to revere, we may even, as Socrates held, have a natural
tendency to pursue, the Good. What is more, it seems
probable that in the matter of this tendency and disposition
we cannot help ourselves. It seems probable, that is to
say, that, just as we cannot help seeing that a certain
conclusion follows by valid reasoning from self-evident
premises, so we cannot help preferring what we take to be
good to what we take to be evil. To the extent that we
could help doing this, we should not, it may be said, be
fully human beings. The following quotation from T. H.
Huxley admirably expresses this view; "While some there
may be who, devoid of sympathy are incapable of duty,
. . . their existence [does not] affect the foundations of
morality. Such pathological deviations from true morality
are merely the halt, the lame and the blind of the world
of consciousness; and the anatomist of the mind leaves
them aside as the anatomist of the body would ignore
abnormal specimens/'
That we are Free to Go Wrong in Particular Cases.
When, however, we come to particular cases, we find no
such obvious determination. Although I must "needs
love the highest when I sec it," I am free to turn my eyes
away from the highest and to give my energies to the
pursuit of ease, power or wealth here and now. Though I
am bound to desire what I take to be good, I am not
bound to identify my good with moral virtue; I may see
it in sensual indulgence or power over my fellows. Although
I cannot help but subscribe to the general proposition
that honesty is to be honoured above dishonesty, I may
find it all too easy on a particular occasion to be dishonest;
nor does my general preference for good temper
over bad prevent me from being disagreeable when I get
up in the morning. Thus we certainly seem to be free on
particular occasions either to do what on general principles