Paley's Moral Philosophy: With Annotations

Excerpt from Paley's Moral Philosophy: With Annotations

Although some of the Works of the justly celebrated Archdeacon Paley, especially his Natural Theology and Evidences, are more read than his Moral Philosophy, and have met with more unmixed approbation, this last has been exercising great influence, not only directly, but indirectly. Having long been an established Text-book at a great and flourishing University, it has laid the foundation of the Moral Principles of many hundreds - probably thousands - of Youths while under a course of training designed to qualify them for being afterwards the Moral instructors of Millions. Such a Work therefore cannot fail to exercise a very considerable and extensive influence on the Minds of successive generations. And accordingly, to supply any needful explanations, illustrations, or modifications of its principles, and above all, to correct any considerable errors in them, cannot be deemed a superfluous or an unimportant task.

Besides several other well-known Writers, as Dugald Stewart, Sir J. Mackintosh, &c., who arc opposed to Paley's utilitarian theory, there is one Writer - Dr. Whewell - whom it is the more important to particularize, from his having been a distinguished Professor of Moral Philosophy in Paley's own University. And from a Work of his accordingly I have cited some extracts.

I am far from thinking that Paley's Work ought not to be one of the Text-books employed. But the study of it should be accompanied with cautions to the Young Student against adopting the whole of his System.

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