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the+critique+of+practical+reason-第9部分
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regulated his principles of action solely with a view to his own
advantage; you would have nothing whatever to object against this mode
of proceeding。 Or suppose some one remends you a man as steward; as
a man to whom you can blindly trust all your affairs; and; in order to
inspire you with confidence; extols him as a prudent man who
thoroughly understands his own interest; and is so indefatigably
active that he lets slip no opportunity of advancing it; lastly;
lest you should be afraid of finding a vulgar selfishness in him;
praises the good taste with which he lives; not seeking his pleasure
in money…making; or in coarse wantonness; but in the enlargement of
his knowledge; in instructive intercourse with a select circle; and
even in relieving the needy; while as to the means (which; of
course; derive all their value from the end); he is not particular;
and is ready to use other people's money for the purpose as if it were
his own; provided only he knows that he can do so safely; and
without discovery; you would either believe that the remender was
mocking you; or that he had lost his senses。 So sharply and clearly
marked are the boundaries of morality and self…love that even the
monest eye cannot fail to distinguish whether a thing belongs to
the one or the other。 The few remarks that follow may appear
superfluous where the truth is so plain; but at least they may serve
to give a little more distinctness to the judgement of mon sense。
The principle of happiness may; indeed; furnish maxims; but never
such as would be petent to be laws of the will; even if universal
happiness were made the object。 For since the knowledge of this
rests on mere empirical data; since every man's judgement on it
depends very much on his particular point of view; which is itself
moreover very variable; it can supply only general rules; not
universal; that is; it can give rules which on the average will most
frequently fit; but not rules which must hold good always and
necessarily; hence; no practical laws can be founded on it。 Just
because in this case an object of choice is the foundation of the rule
and must therefore precede it; the rule can refer to nothing but
what is 'felt'; and therefore it refers to experience and is founded
on it; and then the variety of judgement must be endless。 This
principle; therefore; does not prescribe the same practical rules to
all rational beings; although the rules are all included under a
mon title; namely; that of happiness。 The moral law; however; is
conceived as objectively necessary; only because it holds for everyone
that has reason and will。
The maxim of self…love (prudence) only advises; the law of
morality mands。 Now there is a great difference between that
which we are advised to do and that to which we are obliged。
The monest intelligence can easily and without hesitation see
what; on the principle of autonomy of the will; requires to be done;
but on supposition of heteronomy of the will; it is bard and
requires knowledge of the world to see what is to be done。 That is
to say; what duty is; is plain of itself to everyone; but what is to
bring true durable advantage; such as will extend to the whole of
one's existence; is always veiled in impenetrable obscurity; and
much prudence is required to adapt the practical rule founded on it to
the ends of life; even tolerably; by making proper exceptions。 But the
moral law mands the most punctual obedience from everyone; it must;
therefore; not be so difficult to judge what it requires to be done;
that the monest unpractised understanding; even without worldly
prudence; should fail to apply it rightly。
It is always in everyone's power to satisfy the categorical
mand of morality; whereas it is seldom possible; and by no means so
to everyone; to satisfy the empirically conditioned precept of
happiness; even with regard to a single purpose。 The reason is that in
the former case there is question only of the maxim; which must be
genuine and pure; but in the latter case there is question also of
one's capacity and physical power to realize a desired object。 A
mand that everyone should try to make himself happy would be
foolish; for one never mands anyone to do what he of himself
infallibly wishes to do。 We must only mand the means; or rather
supply them; since he cannot do everything that he wishes。 But to
mand morality under the name of duty is quite rational; for; in the
first place; not everyone is willing to obey its precepts if they
oppose his inclinations; and as to the means of obeying this law;
these need not in this case be taught; for in this respect whatever he
wishes to do be can do。
He who has lost at play may be vexed at himself and his folly; but
if he is conscious of having cheated at play (although he has gained
thereby); he must despise himself as soon as he pares himself
with the moral law。 This must; therefore; be something different
from the principle of private happiness。 For a man must have a
different criterion when he is pelled to say to himself: 〃I am a
worthless fellow; though I have filled my purse〃; and when he approves
himself; and says: 〃I am a prudent man; for I have enriched my
treasure。〃
Finally; there is something further in the idea of our practical
reason; which acpanies the transgression of a moral law… namely;
its ill desert。 Now the notion of punishment; as such; cannot be
united with that of being a partaker of happiness; for although
he who inflicts the punishment may at the same time have the
benevolent purpose of directing this punishment to this end; yet it
must first be justified in itself as punishment; i。e。; as mere harm;
so that if it stopped there; and the person punished could get no
glimpse of kindness hidden behind this harshness; he must yet admit
that justice was done him; and that his reward was perfectly
suitable to his conduct。 In every punishment; as such; there must
first be justice; and this constitutes the essence of the notion。
Benevolence may; indeed; be united with it; but the man who has
deserved punishment has not the least reason to reckon upon this。
Punishment; then; is a physical evil; which; though it be not
connected with moral evil as a natural consequence; ought to be
connected with it as a consequence by the principles of a moral
legislation。 Now; if every crime; even without regarding the
physical consequence with respect to the actor; is in itself
punishable; that is; forfeits happiness (at least partially); it is
obviously absurd to say that the crime consisted just in this; that be
has drawn punishment on himself; thereby injuring his private
happiness (which; on the principle of self…love; must be the proper
notion of all crime)。 According to this view; the punishment would
be the reason for calling anything a crime; and justice would; on
the contrary; consist in omitting all punishment; and even
preventing that which naturally follows; for; if this were done; there
would no longer be any evil in the action; since the harm which
otherwise followed it; and on account of which alone the action was
called evil; would now be prevented。 To look; however; on all
rewards and punishments as merely the machinery in the hand of a
higher power; which is to serve only to set rational creatures
striving after their final end (happiness); this is to reduce the will
to a mechanism destructive of freedom; this is so evident that it need
not detain us。
More refined; though equally false; is the theory of those who
suppose a certain special moral sense; which sense and not reason
determines the moral law; and in consequence of which the
consciousness of virtue is supposed to be directly connected with
contentment and pleasure; that of vice; with mental dissatisfaction
and pain; thus reducing the whole to the desire of private
happiness。 Without repeating what has been said above; I will here
only remark the fallacy they fall into。 In order to imagine the
vicious man as tormented with mental dissatisfaction by the
consciousness of his transgressions; they must first represent him
as in the main basis of his character; at least in some degree;
morally good; just as he who is pleased with the consciousness of
right conduct must be conceived as already virtuous。 The notion of
morality and duty must; therefore; have preceded any regard to this
satisfaction; and cannot be derived from it。 A man must first
appreciate the importance of what we call duty; the authority of the
moral law; and the immediate dignity which the following of it gives
to the person in his own eyes; in order to feel that satisfaction in
the consciousness of his conformity to it and the bitter remorse
that acpanies the consciousness of its transgression。 It is;
therefore; impossible to feel this satisfaction or dissatisfaction
prior to the knowledge of obligation; or to make it the basis of the
latter。 A man must be at least half honest in order even to be able to
form a conception of these feelings。 I do not deny that as the human
will is; by virtue of liberty; capable of being immediately determined
by the moral law; so frequent practice in accordance with this
principle of determination can; at
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