The Elements of Moral Science

by Francis Wayland

Overview

Francis Wayland's The Elements of Moral Science, first published in 1835, was one of the most widely used and influential American textbooks of the nineteenth century. Direct and simple in its presentation, the book was more a didactic manual than a philosophic discussion of ethical problems. But because of its success, and because it set the tone and form for so much educational writing that was to follow, this first important American textbook in moral philosophy is now of great value as a document in the history of education.

The book grew naturally out of the lectures Wayland prepared for the senior course in moral philosophy he taught as President of Brown Universitybeginning in 1827. Courses of this kind were common at the time. As an undergraduate at Union College, Wayland himself had taken one under President Eliphalet Nott, who was to become his lifelong supporter. Loosely organized, such courses gave the college president, most often interested in the training of character rather than in learning for its own sake, an opportunity to impress his personality and moral views on the seniors before turning them out in the world. Wayland's course at Brown, less rambling than many, was described by a former student as "one garden spot in the waste of the curriculum."

In his lectures and, finally, in his book, Wayland stood in opposition to the utilitarian ethics of the eighteenth century which based moral judgments on the consequences of men's acts. He held instead that conscience was a faculty directing man's actions in accordance with moral law. Wayland developed this idea in the first part of his book, called "Theoretical Ethics." In the second part, "Practical Ethics," he established three working principles: the eternal validity of moral law as revealed in the Scriptures, the right of private judgment in accordance with Protestant tradition, and the Jeffersonian republican limitation of the powers of government. These he then applied to moral practice, vindicating and validating the desirable virtues of justice, veracity, chastity, and benevolence.

One section of Wayland's otherwise inoffensive text turned out to be highly controversial. Under the heading "Personal Liberty" he discussed the question of slavery, coming at length to the conclusion that the duty of masters to slaves was to free them, while the duty of slaves to masters was to obey them and be faithful to them. In the climate of that time, his recommendation to leave action to the Christian conscience of the individual master was no more acceptable to the growing abolitionist sentiment of the North than to the defensive, proslavery feeling of the South. The Elements of Moral Science went on, nevertheless, to a long and popular life, going through several revisions (in which the slavery section was progressively altered) as well as translations, and selling 100,000 copies by the end of the century.

Francis Wayland (1796-1865), Mr. Blau writes, stands as 'a central figure in the first great movement for reform of education in the United States." Ordained first as a minister, he served as President of Brown from 1827 to 1855, advocating a wider, more liberal, more practical curriculum at a time when courses of study were still tightly bound to the classics. In politics anti-expansionist, and a pacifist by conviction, he bitterly opposed the Mexican War and the admission of Texas. His opposition to slavery gradually increased until, on the outbreak of the Civil War, he could write, "Can it be doubted on which side God will declare himself?... The best place to meet a difficulty is just where God puts it. If we dodge it, it will come in a worse place..."

This text reproduces the 1837 revision of The Elements of Moral Science. Minor variations from other editions are included as footnotes. Variant versions of longer passages are carried in full in appendices.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783382332884
Publisher:	Anatiposi Verlag
Publication date:	06/16/2023
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x 0.85(d)

About the Author

1796-1865

Table of Contents

BOOK 1: THEORETICAL ETHICS

1. Of the Origin of our Notion of the Moral Quality of Actions

I. Of Moral Law

Of law in General

Of Moral Law

II. What is a moral Action?

Of Action

Of Moral Action

III. In What Part of an Action Do We Discover its Moral Quality?

The Intention

When is Intention Wrong?

IV. Whence Do We Derive our Notion of the Moral Quality of Actions?

Is it a Modification of Any Other Idea?

Is it an Exercise of the Judgment?

Is it Derived From Association?

Is it Derived From the idea of the Greatest Amount of Happiness?

General View of the Subject

2. Conscience, or the Moral Sense

I. Is There a Conscience?

Question Considered

Objections Answered

II. Of the Manner in Which the Decision of Conscience is Expressed

Its Discriminating Power

Its Impulsive Power

A Source of Pleasure or of Pain

Illustrations

III. The Authority of Conscience

From the Conceptions Which We Form of it

By a Comparison of the Actions of Men and Inferior Animals

From the Necessity of This Supremacy to the Accomplishment of its Object

IV. Law by Which Conscience is Governed

As a Discriminating Power

As an Impulsive Power

As a Source of Pleasure or Pain

V. Rules for Moral Conduct

3. The Nature Of Virtue

I. Of Virtue in General

II. Of Virtue in Imperfect Beings

Limit of Moral Obligation

Moral relations of Habit

4. Human Happiness

The Gratification of Desire

Within Limits

5. Of Self-Love

Nature of Self-love

Its Relative Rank

6. Imperfection of Conscience; Necessity of Some Additional Moral Light

Imperfection of Conscience

Necessity of Additional Light

What Light Might be Expected

7. Of Natural Religion

I. Of the Manner in Which We learn our Duty by the Light of Nature

From General Consequences

Objection Considered

II. How Far We May Learn our Duty by the Light of Nature

Knowledge Acquired in This Manner

Motives Which it Presents

III. Defects of the System of Natural Religion

From Facts

From the Nature of the Case

8. Relations Between Natural and Revealed Religion

What Expectations to be Entertained

These are Realized by Revelation

9. The Holy Scriptures

I. A View of the Holy Scriptures

The Old Testament

The New Testament

II. In What Manner are We to Ascertain our Duty by the Holy Scriptures?

What is Excluded

What is Included

Our Means of Moral Instruction

BOOK 2: PRACTICAL ETHICS

PART FIRST LOVE TO GOD, OR PIETY

1. General Obligation to Supreme Love to God

Relation Between God and Man

Rights and Obligations Arising From This Relation

These Suited to Our Nature

2. Of A Devotional Spirit

3. Of Prayer

Nature of Prayer

Kinds of Prayer

Duty of Prayer

" " From Our Condition

" " From the Scriptures

The Utility of Prayer

4. Observance of the Sabbath

Original Institution of the Sabbath

The Mosaic Sabbath

The Christian Sabbath

The Day to be Observed

The Manner of its Observance

Duty of Magistrates in Respect to it

PART SECOND DUTIES TO MAN

DIVISION FIRST -RECIPROCITY

DIVISION SECOND -BENEVOLENCE

DIVISION FIRST-RECIPROCITY-GENERAL PRINCIPLES ILLUSTRATED, AND THE DUTIES OF RECIPROCITY CLASSIFIED

Nature of Human Equality

Subject Illustrated

Teaching of the Scriptures

Classification of the Duties of Reciprocity

CLASS FIRST JUSTICE AND VERACITY

Of Justice

1. Personal Liberty

I. Nature of personal Liberty

Physical Liberty

Intellectual Liberty

Religious Liberty

Exceptions

II. Modes in Which Personal Liberty May be Violated

By the Individual, as in Domestic Slavery

Its Nature and Effects

Doctrine of the Scriptures

Duties of Masters

Duties of Slaves

Personal Liberty Violated by Society

Violation of Physical Liberty

Violation of Intellectual Liberty

Violation of Religious Liberty

2. Justice as It Respects Property

I. The Right of Property

Definition

On what the Right of Property is Founded

Modes in Which the Right of Property May be Acquired

II. Modes in Which the Right of Property May be Violated by the Individual

Without Consent—I. Theft. 2. Robbery

By consent fraudulently obtained

(a.) Where no equivalent is offered

(b.) Where the equivalent is different from what it purports to be

I. Where the equivalent is material, and the transfer perpetual

The law of buyer and seller

2. When the transfer is temporary

Interest or loan of money

Loan of other property insurance

3. Where the equivalent is immaterial

Of master and servant

Of principal and agent

Of representatives

III. Right of Property as Violated by Society

3. Justice as It Respects Character

Nature of the obligation

Violated by weakening the moral restraints of men

Violated by exciting their evil dispositions

4. Justice as It Respects Reputation

Nature of the Obligation

Giving Publicity to Bad Actions

Unjust Conclusions Respecting Character

Assigning Bad Motives Unnecessarily

Ridicule and Mimicry

Our Duty to Reveal the Bad Actions of Others

Our Duty to Promote the Ends of Public Justice

Our Duty to Protect the Innocent, and For the Good of the Offender

Duty of Historians

Duty of the Public Press

Of Veracity

1. Veracity of the Past and Present

Law of Veracity

What It Forbids

Necessity of Such a Law

2. Veracity In Respect To The Future

Of Promises

Their intention and Obligation

When Promises are Not Binding

Of Contracts

3. Of Oaths

The Theory of Oaths

Lawfulness of Oaths

Interpretation of Oaths

Different Kinds of Oaths

CLASS SECOND DUTIES WHICH ARISE FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF THE SEXES

1. General Duty of Chastity

What This Moral Law Forbids

What it Commands-Exclusive Union, Union for Life

Precepts of Religion on This Subject

2. Of Marriage

The Nature of the Contract

Duties Imposed by the Contract

Chastity

Mutual Affection

Mutual Assistance

Relation of Parties as to Authority

3. Of Parents

Relation of the Parties to Each Other

Duties of Parents

Support or Maintenance

Physical Education

Intellectual Education

Moral Education

Rights of Parents

Duration of These Rights

Of Instructors

4. The Law of Children

Duties of children

Obedience

Reverence

Filial affection

Necessary maintenance

Rights of children

Duration of these rights and obligations

Duties of pupils

CLASS THIRD DUTIES TO MAN AS A MEMBER OF CIVIL SOCIETY

1. Of Civil Society

I. Of a Simple Society

Nature of the contract

Manner in which governed

Limits of the power of a majority

Durability of corporations

II. Of Civil Society

Civil Society an Institution of God

Conclusions From the Above

Of the Nature and Limitations of Civil Society

Of What is Essential to Civil Society

The Compact Entered Into by the Individual and Society

Of the Accidental Modifications of Civil Society

2. Of the Mode in Which the Objects of Society are Accomplished

The Parts of a Government

What Form of Government is Preferable

3. Duties of the Officers of a Government

Of Legislative Officers

Of Judicial Officers

Of Executive Officers

4. Duties of Citizens

As individuals

As constituent members of society

When the compact is violated

DIVISION SECOND THE LAW OF BENEVOLENCE

1. General Obligation and Division of the Subject

Nature and Proof of the Obligation From Our Constitution

Proof from the Holy Scriptures

2. Benevolence to the Unhappy

I. Unhappiness from physical condition

Objects of Charity

Laws Affecting the Recipient

Laws Affecting the Benefactor

Poor Laws

Voluntary Associations

II. Unhappiness From Intellectual Condition

3. Benevolence to the Wicked

4. Benevolence to the Injurious

Injury Committed by an Individual Against an Individual

Injury Committed by an Individual Against Society

Injury Committed by a Society Against a Society

Of War

Note Duties to Brutes