Dewey and Tufts, Ethics, chaps. II, III.
H. Spencer, Data of Ethics, chap. II, secs. 5, 6. J. Fiske, Cosmic
Philosophy, part II, chap. XXII, second half. A. Sutherland, Origin
and Growth of the Moral Instinct, vol. I. C. S. Wake, Evolution of
Morality, vol. I, chaps. V, VI, VII. P. V. N. Myers, History as Past
Ethics, chap. I. P. Kropotkin, Mutual Aid, chaps. I-IV. L. T. Hobhouse,
Morals in Evolution, part I, chaps. I-III. Westermarck, op. cit, chap.
XXXIV. J. Fiske, Through Nature to God, part II, "The Cosmic Roots
of Love and Self-Sacrifice." C. Read, Natural and Social Morals, chap.
III.
CHAPTER III
OUTWARD DEVELOPMENT--MORALS
What is the difference between morals and non-moral customs?
MORALITY, before it is a matter of legal prescription or of reflective
insight, is a matter of instinctive and unconsciously imitated habit.
That this is so is shown by the fact that many ethical terms are by their
etymology connected with the idea of custom. "Morals" and "morality"
are from the Latin mores, usually translated "customs," "ethics," from
a Greek root of similar sense. The German Sitten has the same fused
meanings. Most of our present-day morality is a matter of custom or
convention; and there are those who make a complete identification
of the two concepts, morality being simply to them conventional habits
of conduct. But a little thought will show that there is a distinction
in our common usage; the two categories overlap, but are not identical.
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