Chapter 3

SOCIOLOGY AS THE FOUNDATION OF MORALITY.

The positive theory is that the health of the social organism is the real foundation of morals 49

But social health is nothing but the personal health of all the members of the society 51

It is not happiness itself, but the negative conditions that make happiness for all 51

Still less is social health any _high_ kind of happiness 54

It can only be maintained to be so, by supposing 55

Either, that all kinds of happiness are equally _high_ that do not interfere with others 55

Or, that it is only a _high_ kind of happiness that can be shared by all 56

Both of which suppositions are false 57

The conditions of social health are a moral end only when we each feel a personal delight in maintaining them 58

In this case they will supply us with a _small portion_ of the moral aid needed 59

But this case is not a possible one 60

There is indeed the natural impulse of sympathy that might tend to make it so 61

But this is counterbalanced by the corresponding impulse of selfishness 63

And this impulse of sympathy itself is of very limited power 63

Except under very rare conditions 63

The conditions of general happiness are far too vague to do more than very slightly excite it 64

Or give it power enough to neutralise any personal temptation 66

At all events they would excite no enthusiasm 67

For this purpose there must be some prize before us, of recognised positive value, more or less definite 67

And before all things, to be enjoyed by us individually 67

Unless this prize be of great value to begin with, its value will not become great because great numbers obtain it 71

Nor until we know what it is, do we gain anything by the hope that men may more completely make it their own in the future 72

The modern positive school requires a great general enthusiasm for the general good 73

They therefore presuppose an extreme value for the individual good 74

Our first enquiry must be therefore what the higher individual good is 76