Chapter I: The Subject-Matter of Ethics.
§ 3.
But this is a question which
may have many meanings. If, for example, each of us were to say I am doing
good now
or I had a good dinner yesterday
these statements would
each of them be some sort of answer to our question, although perhaps a false
one. So, too, when A asks B what school he ought to send his son to, B’s answer
will certainly be an ethical judgment. And similarly all distribution of praise
or blame to any personage or thing that has existed, now exists, or will exist,
does give some answer to the question What is good?
In all such cases
some particular thing is judged to be good or bad: the question What?
is
answered by This.
But this is not the sense in which a scientific Ethics
asks the question. Not one, of all the many million answers of this kind, which
must be true, can form a part of an ethical system; although that science must
contain reasons and principles sufficient for deciding on the truth of all of
them. there are far too many persons, things and events in the world, past,
present, or to come, for a discussion of their individual merits to be embraced
in any science. Ethics, therefore, does not deal at all with facts of this
nature, facts that are unique, individual, absolutely particular; facts with
which such studies as history, geography, astronomy are compelled, in part at
least, to deal. And, for this reason, it is not the business of the ethical
philosopher to give personal advice or exhortation. (§ 3 ¶ 1)