Ethica Or the Ethics of Reason

but it is not much of these that is wanted to enable a man to accomplish his ethical destiny. To enable a man to do this, however, it is essential that he be inspired with the ethical purpose of life: and, as it is not life in general, but his spiritual man-life that has to be directed to its true ends, it is impossible to ascertain its law without knowing its nature. We conclude, therefore, that if we desire to be able to speak intelligently of either man or mollusc, we must first know the man or the mollusc, and regard each as an individual organism, having certain capacities, aptitudes, and ends, which it seeks to fulfil, and which for it is the Good. CHAPTER IV. Knowledge Of Man: His Dual Nature. When we say that it is necessary to know Man in all his various activities, potential and actual, if we would find the law of his life, we are not to be supposed to hold that man, as we know him in these days, is the man of ten thousand years ago. We have been in the reflective stage for three thousand years at least; but, even prior to that, men were exercising theiractivities in accordance with their needs and environment, and feeling their way through action to a knowledge of their own nature, their own powers and possibilities. The philosopher reflects, and endeavours to analyze and interpret what has heen, and now is, going on within men; and this reflective activity is essential to the progress of mankind beyond a certain stage, apart from its interest as a ...