Ideas from 'Fifteen Sermons' by Joseph Butler [1726], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Five Sermons' by Butler,Joseph (ed/tr Darwell,Stephen L.) [Hackett 1985,0-915145-61-8]].

green numbers give full details    |     back to texts     |     unexpand this idea


22. Metaethics / A. Ethics Foundations / 2. Source of Ethics / c. Ethical intuitionism
Butler exalts conscience, but it may be horribly misleading
                        Full Idea: Butler exalts conscience, but appears ignorant that a man's conscience may tell him to do the vilest things.
                        From: comment on Joseph Butler (Fifteen Sermons [1726]) by G.E.M. Anscombe - Modern Moral Philosophy p.176
                        A reaction: That would appear to be the end of conscience. To make conscience work, it must have a huge authority to back it, and also a fairly infallible means of knowing what it truly says, and that an impostor hasn't replaced it (e.g. via a bad upbringing).