Data of Ethics.
"Beyond the primary truth that
no idea of a whole can be framed without a nascent idea of parts
constituting it, and that no idea of a part can be framed without
a nascent idea of some whole to which it belongs, there is the
secondary truth that there can be no correct idea of a
part without a correct idea of the correlative whole. There
are several ways in which inadequate knowledge of the one involves
inadequate knowledge of the other."1a
"The life of the social organism must,
as an end, rank above the lives of its units. These two ends
are not harmonious at the outset; and, though the tendency is
toward harmonization of them, they are still partially
conflicting."1b
"At the outset, then, fulfillment of
contracts that are implied if not expressed, becomes a
condition to social co-operation, and therefore to social
development. . .
"Only under voluntary agreement,
then, no longer tacit and vague, but overt and definite,
can
co-operation be harmoniously carried on when division of labor
becomes established."1c
"Briefly, then, the universal basis
of co-operation is the proportioning of benefits received to
services rendered. Without this there can be no physiological
division of labor; without this there can be no sociological
division of labor. . . So that beyond the primary requirement
to harmonious co-existence in a society, that its units shall
not directly aggress on one another; there comes this
secondary requirement, that
they shall not indirectly
aggress by breaking agreements."1d
"
. . . [L]fe
is to be further facilitated by exchange of services beyond
agreement: the highest life being reached only when, besides
helping to complete one another's lives by specified
reciprocities of aid, men otherwise help to complete one
another's lives."1e
The
co-existence of a perfect man and an imperfect society is
impossible; and could the two co-exist, the resulting conduct
would not furnish the ethical standard sought. . .
"
. . .
Among people who are
treacherous and utterly without scruple, entire truthfulness and
openness must bring ruin."1f
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