Religion is not the
root of morality, but its flower and consummation. The finest ideals,
the loftiest heights of morality, merge into religion; but even these
spiritual ideals have their ultimate root in the common soil of human
welfare, and are rational ideals because they minister to human need.
For the "categorical" theory of morality, see Kant's Theory of Ethics,
trans. Abbott; F. H. Bradley, Ethical Studies; F. Paulsen, System of
Ethics, book II, chap, V, secs. 3 and 4; Dewey and Tufts, Ethics, chap,
XVI, sec. 2; H. Spencer, Data of Ethics, chap, III, sees. 12, 13. W.
Fite, Introductory Study of Ethics, chap. X. H. Rashdall, Theory of
Good and Evil, book I, chap. V. For the "according to nature" theory,
see Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, passim; Rousseau, Discourse on
Science and Art, etc.; J. S. Mill, "Nature" in Three Essays on
Religion; T.H. Huxley, Evolution and Ethics. T. N. Carver, The Religion
Worth Having. For the "self-realization" theory, see T. H. Green,
Prolegomena to Ethics; F. Paulsen, op. cit, esp. book II, chap, II,
secs. 5-8; H. W. Wright, Self-Realization; J. S. Mackenzie, Manual
of Ethics, 2d ed, chaps, VI and VII. W. Fite, op. cit, chap. XI.
For theological ethics, see any of the older theological books. A brief
comment may be found in H. Spencer's Data of Ethics, chap, IV, sec.
18.
CHAPTER XIV
THE WORTH OF MORALITY
BEFORE proceeding to a more concrete unfolding of the difficulties
and problems of morality, it will be well to formulate our theory in
terms of modern biology, and then, finally, to answer those modern
critics who reject not merely the rational explanation of morality
but morality itself.
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