The Dualism of Practical Reason (Methods Concluding Chapter)

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the Concluding Chapter of The Methods of Ethics. Its topic is Sidgwick’s most famous idea: that there is an unresolvable conflict between egoism and utilitarianism, the “dualism of practical reason.” The first section discusses the “proof” of utilitarianism as against intuitionism (which Sidgwick thinks succeeds) and the “proof” of utilitarianism as against egoism (which he thinks fails). The second section discusses and evaluates the new argument for the rationality of egoism which Sidgwick inserted into the Concluding Chapter in late editions of the Methods. The third section discusses Sidgwick’s treatment of sanctions in the Concluding Chapter. The fourth section focuses on his characterizations of the dualism. The final section is an overview discussion of secondary literature on interpretations of the dualism.