Recent Tendencies in Ethics Three Lectures to Clergy Given at Cambridge

In these three lectures, a Cambridge professor surveys the state of moral philosophy at the turn of the twentieth century, aiming to map the lively debates that dominate contemporary ethics. He contrasts two dominant camps—those who trace moral ideas to sensory experience and consequential pleasure, and those who argue that moral insight springs from a non‑empirical intuition. By outlining their differing accounts of the origin and the criterion of right and wrong, he sets the stage for a broader examination of modern ethical currents.

The first part delves into how evolutionary theory has been invoked to explain the development of moral sentiments, questioning whether natural selection can fully account for human virtue. The second segment turns to idealism, investigating whether moral values can be grounded in a higher, non‑material realm beyond empirical observation. Throughout, the lecturer balances criticism with constructive insight, inviting clergy and lay listeners alike to re‑evaluate long‑standing assumptions about duty, conscience, and the pursuit of the common good.