utilitarianism-第20章

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　may　occur　in　which　some　other　social　duty　is　so　important；　as　to　overrule　any　one　of　the　general　maxims　of　justice。　Thus；　to　save　a　life；　it　may　not　only　be　allowable；　but　a　duty；　to　steal；　or　take　by　force；　the　necessary　food　or　medicine；　or　to　kidnap；　and　compel　to　officiate；　the　only　qualified　medical　practitioner。　In　such　cases；　as　we　do　not　call　anything　justice　which　is　not　a　virtue；　we　usually　say；　not　that　justice　must　give　way　to　some　other　moral　principle；　but　that　what　is　just　in　ordinary　cases　is；　by　reason　of　that　other　principle；　not　just　in　the　particular　case。　By　this　useful　accommodation　of　language；　the　character　of　indefeasibility　attributed　to　justice　is　kept　up；　and　we　are　saved　from　the　necessity　of　maintaining　that　there　can　be　laudable　injustice。　　　The　considerations　which　have　now　been　adduced　resolve；　I　conceive；　the　only　real　difficulty　in　the　utilitarian　theory　of　morals。　It　has　always　been　evident　that　all　cases　of　justice　are　also　cases　of　expediency：　the　difference　is　in　the　peculiar　sentiment　which　attaches　to　the　former；　as　contradistinguished　from　the　latter。　If　this　characteristic　sentiment　has　been　sufficiently　accounted　for；　if　there　is　no　necessity　to　assume　for　it　any　peculiarity　of　origin；　if　it　is　simply　the　natural　feeling　of　resentment；　moralised　by　being　made　coextensive　with　the　demands　of　social　good；　and　if　this　feeling　not　only　does　but　ought　to　exist　in　all　the　classes　of　cases　to　which　the　idea　of　justice　corresponds；　that　idea　no　longer　presents　itself　as　a　stumbling…block　to　the　utilitarian　ethics。　　　Justice　remains　the　appropriate　name　for　certain　social　utilities　which　are　vastly　more　important；　and　therefore　more　absolute　and　imperative；　than　any　others　are　as　a　class　（though　not　more　so　than　others　may　be　in　particular　cases）；　and　which；　therefore；　ought　to　be；　as　well　as　naturally　are；　guarded　by　a　sentiment　not　only　different　in　degree；　but　also　in　kind；　distinguished　from　the　milder　feeling　which　attaches　to　the　mere　idea　of　promoting　human　pleasure　or　convenience；　at　once　by　the　more　definite　nature　of　its　commands；　and　by　the　sterner　character　of　its　sanctions。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END　。