CHAPTER LII. Gods As Guardians of Morality (_concluded_)

GODS AS GUARDIANS OF MORALITY (concluded)

Explanation of the malevolence of savage gods, p. 728 sq.--Of the growing tendency to attribute more amiable qualities to the gods, pp. 729-731.--Men selecting their gods, p. 729 sq.--The good qualities of gods magnified by their worshippers, p. 730 sq.--How various departments of social morality have come to be placed under the supervision of gods, p. 731 sq.--How the guardianship of gods has been extended to the whole sphere of justice, p. 732.--How gods have become guardians of morality at large, p. 733 sq.--The influence of the religious sanction of morality, p. 734 sq.--Religious devotion frequently accompanied by great laxity of morals, pp. 735-737.--Greater importance attached to ceremonies or the niceties of belief than to good behaviour towards fellow men, p. 736 sq.--The religious sanction of moral rules often leads to an external observance of these rules from purely selfish motives, p. 737.--The moral influence of Christianity, ibid.

{xix} CHAPTER LIII

CONCLUSION

Recapitulation of the theory of the moral consciousness set forth in vol. I., pp. 738-741.--This theory supported by the fact that not only moral emotions but non-moral retributive emotions are felt with reference to phenomena exactly similar in their general nature to those on which moral judgments are passed, p. 741.--As also by the circumstance that the very acts, forbearances, and omissions which are condemned as wrong are also apt to call forth anger and revenge, and that the acts and forbearances which are praised as morally good are apt to call forth gratitude, p. 741 sq.--The variations of the moral ideas partly due to different external conditions, p. 742.--But chiefly to psychical causes, pp. 742-746.--The duties to neighbours have gradually become more expansive owing to the expansion of the altruistic sentiment, p. 743 sq.--The influence of reflection upon moral judgments has been increasing, p. 744 sq.--The influence of sentimental antipathies and likings has been decreasing, ibid.--The influence which the belief in supernatural forces or beings or in a future state has exercised upon the moral ideas of mankind, p. 745 sq.--Remarks as to the future development of the moral ideas, p. 746.

ADDITIONAL NOTES . . . pp. 747-754

AUTHORITIES QUOTED . . pp. 755-835

SUBJECT INDEX . . . . pp. 837-865

THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE MORAL IDEAS