《lect12》

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student's view of morals。 The discussion of ethics; like many


others; is conducted amid much obscurity of thought; and there is


no specific more sovereign for dispelling such obscurity than the


association of the cardinal terms which enter into our enquiry


with absolutely consistent meanings; and the employment of the


terms with these meanings as a test for the detection of


equivocal phraseology。 It is the one inestimable service of the


Analytical School to jurisprudence and morals that it furnishes


them with a rigidly consistent terminology。 But there is not the


faintest reason for thinking that the intelligent and


appreciative student of the system must necessarily be an


utilitarian。


    I shall state hereafter what I believe to be the true point


of contact between Austin's system and the utilitarian


philosophy。 Meantime; devotion to this philosophy; coupled with


what I hold to be a faulty arrangement; has produced the most


serious blemish in the 'Province of Jurisprudence Determined。'


The 2nd; 3rd; and 4th Lectures are occupied with an attempt to


identify the law of God and the law of Nature (so far as these


last words can be allowed to have any meaning) with the rules


required by the theory of utility。 The lectures contain many


just; interesting; and valuable observations; but the


identification; which is their object; is quite gratuitous and


valueless for any purpose。 Written; I doubt not; in the honest


belief that they would help to obviate or remove prejudices; they


have attracted to Austin's system a whole cloud of prejudices


both from the theological and from the philosophical side。 If;


however; following the order I have suggested; Austin; after


concluding the examination of the nature of Sovereignty and of


positive law; had entered on an enquiry into the nature of the


laws of God; it must have taken the form of an investigation of


the question how far the characteristics of the human superiors


called Sovereigns can be supposed to attach to an all…powerful


and non…human ruler; and how many of the conceptions dependent on


human Sovereignty must be considered as contained in his


commands。 I much doubt whether such an enquiry would have seemed


called for in a treatise like Austin's。 Taken at its best; it is


a discussion belonging not to the philosophy of law but to the


philosophy of legislation。 The jurist; properly so called; has


nothing to do with any ideal standard of law or morals。








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