 Bertrand Russell Quotes 366 |
Psychologically, I am bound to pursue my own good, that is to say, I shall always act from desire, and the desire is necessarily mine. When we confront the two propositions: (l) I shall pursue my own good, (2) I ought to pursue the general good; it is clear that the second proposition has no practical importance unless there are ways of causing me to desire the general good, or at least to act in ways that promote it. The latter is a question of harmony between public and private interests; it is promoted (or should be) "by the criminal law, the economic system, and the bestowal of praise and blame.
Source: Bertrand Russell: Human Society in Ethics and Politics, (1954), chapter 5
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