Sheldon — The Literature of Ethical Science. 121 



bias. In spite of the array of scholars against me and in 

 spite of the tendency of the age, — with all due respect and 

 reverence for the minds of the men of science before me, 

 with the consciousness that one must be modest in saying it, 

 and that it should be said softly and in a whisper — never- 

 theless, gentlemen, I still believe in the freedom of the will. 



A FURTHER LIST OF SHORT PASSAGES FROM VARIOUS WRITERS 

 ILLUSTRATING THE DIVERSE STANDPOINTS ON SOME OF THE 

 PROBLEMS MENTIONED IN THE PRECEDING PAPER. 



I. Concerning Ethics as a Science. 



"In the case of the physical sciences, at least, we can obtain knowledge 

 which, within its own sphere, is entirely independent of the metaphysician's 

 theories. Is not this true in all cases, and therefore in those cases in which 

 the science is concerned with the conduct and character of human beings? 

 May we not discover propositions about the relations of men to each other 

 and the internal relations of the individual human being, which will be 

 equally independent of metaphysical disputes? As we assign the relations 

 between parts of space without asking what is space in itself, may we not 

 determine rules about men without asking what is meant, for example, by 

 personal unity, or what is the true mode of distinguishing object from sub- 

 ject? * * * The problem is, in fact, to discover the scientific form of 

 morality, or, in other words, to discover what is the general characteristic, 

 so far as science can grasp it, of the moral sentiments." — *'The Science of 

 Ethics," by Leslie Stephen. 



••If we may treat facts of human feeling, and imagination, and judgment 

 by scientific method, may sift them, classify them, concatenate and explain 

 them, interpret their import and reason speculatively about their implicates, 

 it is difl3cult to see why we may not properly speak of a possible • science of 

 ethics.' " " Ethics results from the scientific study of human conduct — its 

 sources, its development, its sanctions, and its most general principles." — 

 ••Philosophy of Conduct," by George Trumbull Ladd. 



•'Es sind zwei Aufgaben der wissenschaftlichen Ethik zu unterscheiden. 

 Dieselbe ist teils eine historische, tells eine philosophische Wissenschaft. 

 Die historische oder vergleichende Ethik sucht die positive Moralitat so 

 darzustellen, wie sie zu einer gegebenen Zeit bei einem gegebenen Volke 

 auftritt, sucht nachzuweisen, welche Entwickelung sie unter verschiedenen 

 Verhaltnissen erleidet, und die verschiedenen Formen zu vergleichen, die 

 sie zu verschiedenen Zelten bei verschiedenen Volkern annehmen kann. 

 Sie sucht die Ursachen dieser verschiedenen Entwickelungsstufen und Formen 

 in bestimmten physischen, psychologischen und historischen Verhaltnissen 



