Lesson 8 Flashcards
Autonomous
In Butler’s view, the conscience is self-directing and independent.
Joseph Butler
-Joseph Butler(18 May 1692 – 16 June 1752) was anEnglishbishop andtheologian
-Born inWantagein theEnglishcounty ofBerkshire(nowOxfordshire)
-Butler influenced many philosophers and religious thinkers, includingDavid Hume,Thomas Reid,Adam Smith,Henry Sidgwick,]John Henry Newman, andC. D. Broad.
-In 1714, Butler decided to enter theChurch of England, and went toOriel College,Oxford.
What does Butler believe about conscience?
-The conscience is an intuitive moral judge.
-We know intuitively (internally, naturally) when we are using our conscience because we feel ourselves weighing up between our love of self and love of others.
-It is autonomous, a natural ability given by God.
-This means that the conscience must be followed as it is God-given, and we have a duty to follow God.
Butler quote
Conscience is a “superior principle of reflection”
Conscience as reflective
-The conscience is a reflective principle placed within us by God, a natural faculty, designed into us by God.
-This means we can think about what we have done wrong in the past and what we will do in the future.
-Butler suggests that God placed conscience in us as a natural guide so it is our duty to follow it.
-Butler says we are able to reflect morally on what we have done in the past and what we are about to do in the future.
-All humans have a reflective sense of right and wrong.
2 governing principles of moral behaviour
-prudence
-benevolence
Morality is a balance between the two
Prudence
Love of self/egoism.
Necessary for people to love others.
Not the same as selfishness
Benevolence
Love of others/altruism.
Benevolence is the ideal but is not necessarily possible all the time.
Conscience works intuitively
We know intuitively when we are planning or have made a decision because we feel the balance between self-love and love of others.
autonomous judge
-But conscience is also an autonomous judge…
-There is no sense of approval or disapproval, reward or punishment for acting morally.
-The conscience is only motivated by its internal criteria of what is right and wrong, a natural ability given to human beings, not the voice of God.
Conscience as wrong
-Intuition is not infallible – the conscience could be misinformed or even wrong!
-Without an appeal to external, objective moral yardsticks, it is possible that Butler’s idea allows moral anarchy, where an individual can intuit what is best regardless of the moral character of an action.
-The appeal to intuitive conscience is self-authenticating. It has its authority from within itself.
-Butler’s idea of a hierarchical system of principles within Human nature allows him to argue for the higher principle of virtue.
-He makes no claim for a particular religious or ethical system of laws and rules, but rather appeals to generally accepted civilized behaviour.
