Reason alone cannot guide moral decisionmaking from "summary" of A Treatise of Human Nature by David Hume
Reason is a faculty of the mind that is often considered the chief guide in determining right and wrong. However, when it comes to moral decision-making, reason alone cannot provide us with clear and definite principles to follow. This is because reason is based on the observation of facts and relations of ideas, but moral distinctions arise from a different source altogether. In moral decision-making, we are not dealing with matters of fact or relations of ideas, but with matters of value and sentiment. These moral distinctions are not derived from reason, but from our emotions and sentiments. It is our feelings of approval or disapproval that ultimately guide our moral judgments, rather than cold, rational calculations. While reason can help us analyze and evaluate the consequences of our actions, it cannot provide us with the ultimate foundation for moral distinctions. This is because reason is passive and inert, whereas moral decisions require an active and passionate engagement with our emotions and sentiments. Furthermore, reason alone is incapable of motivating us to act morally. It can inform us of the consequences of our actions, but it is our emotions and sentiments that move us to act in accordance with moral principles. Without these motivating forces, reason is powerless to guide our moral decision-making. Therefore, while reason is certainly an important and useful faculty of the mind, it is not sufficient to guide us in making moral decisions. We must look beyond reason to our emotions and sentiments for the true foundation of morality. Only by engaging with our feelings of approval and disapproval can we hope to make sound and ethical choices in our lives.
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