CHAPTER XXI 



WHY LIVE A MORAL LIFE ? ^ 



Taking morality in its ordinary meaning, as including 

 all actions for personal ends which are not knowingly 

 injurious or painful to others, the question asked is, What 

 are the sanctions of morality to the pure Rationalist — to 

 the person who does not actively believe in a future state 

 of existence ? Can such a person give clear and logical 

 reasons of sufficient cogency to induce him, even under 

 the stress of temptation, and when any detection or evil 

 results to himself appear out of the question, yet to act 

 with strict conformity to moral principles ? 



In existing society the abstention from immoral actions 

 by individuals is usually due to one or more of the 

 following causes : — (1) A natural upright and sympathetic 

 disposition, to which any act hurtful or disagreeable to 

 others is repugnant, and is, therefore avoided. (2) The 

 fear of punishment, or of the condemnation of public 

 opinion, leading to ostracism by the society in which they 

 live. (3) The influence of religious belief, which declares 

 certain acts to be offensive to the Deity, and to lead to 

 punishment in a future life. (4) The belief expressed in 

 the saying, " Honesty is the best policy," which may be 

 expanded into the general principle that the moral life is, 

 emphatically, the happiest life. 



With the first cause, on which, probably, the largest 

 proportion of moral action depends, we have here nothing 

 to do, since it does not involve any process of reason — of 

 ivhy we should act in one way rather than in another — 



1 This article formed part of a Symposium on the above question 

 which appeared in the Agnostic Annual, 1895. 



