太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the ethics(part iv) >

第15节

the ethics(part iv)-第15节

小说: the ethics(part iv) 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!





preference to the comforts of home and the admonitions of their father: 



suffering any burden to be put upon them; so long as they may spite 



their parents。







XIV。 Therefore; although men are generally governed in everything by their 



own lusts; yet their association in common brings many more advantages 



than drawbacks。 Wherefore it is better to bear patiently the wrongs they 



may do us; and to strive to promote whatsoever serves to bring about 



harmony and friendship。







XV。 Those things; which beget harmony; are such as are attributable to 



justice; equity; and honourable living。 For men brook ill not only what is 



unjust or iniquitous; but also what is reckoned disgraceful; or that a man 



should slight the received customs of their society。 For winning love those 



qualities are especially necessary which have regard to religion and piety 



(cf。 IV:xxxvii。Notes。i。; &。ii。; IV:xlvi。Note; and IV:lxxiii。Note)。







XVI。 Further; harmony is often the result of fear: but such harmony is 



insecure。 Further; fear arises from infirmity of spirit and moreover 



belongs not to the exercise of reason: the same is true of compassion; 



though this latter seems to bear a certain resemblance to piety。







XVII。 Men are also gained over by liberality; especially such as have 



not the means to buy what is necessary to sustain life。 However; to give 



aid to every poor man is far beyond the power and the advantage of any 



private person。 For the riches of any private person are wholly inadequate 



to meet such a call。 Again; an individual man's resources of character 



are too limited for him to be able to make all men his friends。 Hence 



providing for the poor is a duty; which falls on the State as a whole; 



and has regard only to the general advantage。







XVIII。 In accepting favours; and in returning gratitude our duty must be 



wholly different (cf。 IV:lxx。Note; IV:lxxi。 Note)。 







XIX。 Again; meretricious love; that is; the lust of generation arising 



from bodily beauty; and generally every sort of love; which owns anything 



save freedom of soul as its cause; readily passes into hate; unless indeed; 



what is worse; it is a species of madness; and then it promotes discord 



rather than harmony (cf。 III:xxxi。Coroll。)。







XX。 As concerning marriage; it is certain that this is in harmony with 



reason; if the desire for physical union be not engendered solely by 



bodily beauty; but also by the desire to beget children and to train them 



up wisely; and moreover; if the love of both; to wit; of the man and of 



the woman; is not caused by bodily beauty only; but also by freedom of soul。







XXI。 Furthermore; flattery begets harmony; but only by means of the vile 



offence of slavishness or treachery。 None are more readily taken with 



flattery than the proud; who wish to be first; but are not。







XXII。 There is in abasement a spurious appearance of piety and 



religion。 Although abasement is the opposite to pride; yet is he that 



abases himself most akin to the proud (IV:lvii。Note)。







XXIII。 Shame also brings about harmony; but only in such matters as cannot 



be hid。 Further; as shame is a species of pain; it does not concern the 



exercise of reason。 







XXIV。 The remaining emotions of pain towards men are directly opposed



to justice; equity; honour; piety; and religion; and; although 



indignation seems to bear a certain resemblance to equity; yet is life 



but lawless; where every man may pass judgment on another's deeds; and 



vindicate his own or other men's rights。 







XXV。 Correctness of conduct (modestia); that is; the desire of pleasing 



men which is determined by reason; is attributable to piety (as we said 



in IV:xxxvii。Note。i。)。 But; if it spring from emotion; it is ambition; 



or the desire whereby; men; under the false cloak of piety; generally 



stir up discords and seditions。 For he who desires to aid his fellows。 



either in word or in deed; so that they may together enjoy the highest 



good; he; I say; will before all things strive to; win them over with 



love: not to draw them into admiration; so that a system may be called 



after his name; nor to give any cause for envy。 Further; in his 



conversation he will shrink from talking of men's faults; and will be 



careful to speak but sparingly of human infirmity: but he will dwell at 



length on human virtue or power; and the way whereby it may be perfected。 



Thus will men be stirred not by fear; nor by aversion; but only by the 



emotion of joy; to endeavour; so far as in them lies; to live in 



obedience to reason。







XXVI。 Besides men; we know of no particular thing in nature in whose mind 



we may rejoice; and whom we can associate with ourselves in friendship or 



any sort of fellowship; therefore; whatsoever there be in nature besides 



man; a regard for our advantage does not call on us to preserve; but to 



preserve or destroy according to its various capabilities; and to adapt 



to our use as best we may。







XXVII。 The advantage which we derive from things external to us; besides 



the experience and knowledge which we acquire from observing them; and 



from recombining their elements in different forms; is principally the 



preservation of the body; from this point of view; those things are most 



useful which can so feed and nourish the body; that all its parts may 



rightly fulfil their functions。 For; in proportion as the body is capable 



of being affected in a greater variety of ways; and of affecting external 



bodies in a great number of ways; so much the more is the mind capable of 



thinking (IV:xxxviii。; IV:xxxix。)。 But there seem to be very few things 



of this kind in nature; wherefore for the due nourishment of the body we 



must use many foods of diverse nature。 For the human body is composed of 



very many parts of different nature; which stand in continual need of 



varied nourishment; so that the whole body may be equally capable of 



doing everything that can follow from its own nature; and consequently 



that the mind also may be equally capable of forming many perceptions。







XXVIII。 Now for providing these nourishments the strength of each 



individual would hardly suffice; if men did not lend one another mutual 



aid。 But money has furnished us with a token for everything: hence it is 



with the notion of money; that the mind of the multitude is chiefly 



engrossed: nay; it can hardly conceive any kind of pleasure; which is not 



accompanied with the idea of money as cause。







XXIX。 This result is the fault only of those; who seek money; not from 



poverty or to supply their necessary; wants; but because they; have 



learned the arts of gain; wherewith they bring themselves to great 



splendour。 Certainly they nourish their bodies; according to custom; but 



scantily; believing that they lose as much of their wealth as they spend on 



the preservation of their body。 But they who know the true use of money; 



and who fix the measure of wealth solely with regard to their actual needs; 



live content with little。







XXX。 As; therefore; those things are good which assist the various parts 



of the body; and enable them to perform their functions; and as pleasure 



consists in an increase of; or aid to; man's power; in so far as he is 



composed of mind and body; it follows that all those things which bring 



pleasure are good。 But seeing that things do not work with the object of 



giving us pleasure; and that their power of action is not tempered to suit 



our advantage; and; lastly; that pleasure is generally referred to one 



part of the body more than to the other parts; therefore most emotions of 



pleasure (unless reason and watchfulness be at hand); and consequently the 



desires arising therefrom; may become excessive。 Moreover we may add that 



emotion leads us to pay most regard to what is agreeable in the present; 



nor can we estimate what is future with emotions equally vivid。 



(IV:xliv。Note; and IV:lx。Note。)







XXXI。 Superstition; on the other hand; seems to account as good all that 



brings pain; and as bad all that brings pleasure。 However; as we said 



above (IV:xlv。Note); none but the envious take delight in my infirmity 



and trouble。 For the greater the pleasure whereby we are affected; the 



greater is the perfection whereto we pass; and consequently the more do 



we partake of the divine nature: no pleasure can ever be evil; which is 



regulated by a true regard for our advantage。 But contrariwise he; who is 



led by fear and does good only to avoid evil; is not guided by reason。







Ap。XXXII。 (1) But human power is extremely limited; and is infinitely 



surpassed by the power of external causes; we have not; therefore; an 



absolute power of shap

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的