バートランド・ラッセル『ヒューマン・ソサエティ-倫理学から政治学へ』- Human Society in Ethics and Politics, 1954
* 原著:Human Society in Ethics and Politics, 1954* 邦訳書:バートランド・ラッセル(著),勝部真長・長谷川鑛平(共訳)『ヒューマン・ソサエティ-倫理学から政治学へ』(玉川大学出版部,1981年7月刊。268+x pp.)
『ヒューマン・ソサエティ』第6章:道徳的義務 n.1 |
Human Society in Ethics and Politics, 1954, chapter 6: Moral obligation, n.1 | |||
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In this chapter I wish to discuss the concept involved when I say: "I ought to do so-and-so", or "I have a moral obligation to do so-and-so", or ‘‘such-and-such an act is morally right”. So far, I have been content to say that the ‘‘right” act is that most likely to promote the general good ; but this, though I believe it to be true, may be not a definition, but a highly debatable proposition. If you ask "what ought I to do?" and I reply "you ought to do what will probably promote the general good", I am not telling you the meaning of your question, which you feel that you already know. Your situation is analogous to that of a child who asks ‘‘what is bread made of?” and is told ‘‘bread is made of flour”. The child is already familiar with bread, and is not asking for a verbal definition of the word ‘‘bread”; the answer, therefore, increases his culinary rather than his linguistic knowledge. So it is if I say you ought to pursue the general good: this statement, true or false, is a proposition of ethics, not a verbal proposition such as we have a right to expect from the dictionary. |