X.—Symposium: Ethical Principles of Social Reconstruction

Abstract

ETHICAL principles, which we are to discuss in relation to the reconstruction of society, appear to me, in the last analysis, to be our formule for certain types of personality. Whence it would follow that our question is not, by what should society be reconstructed, but by whom ? I say this to indicate my point of view. To save myself as far as possible from wandering over the whole field of ethical controversy, which the title tempts me to do, I shall assume that the subject has an historical reference to actual conditions and circumstances-that, namely, we are discussing, the ethical principles of social reconstruction, as this may take place after the war. By after the I mean in direct sequence to the end of the war, and not at some undefined period, perhaps in the very distant future, when a totally different set of conditions may have arisen. The time-factor is especially 'important in this connexion, as, indeed, it seems to mne to be important in every discussion of ethical problemns. If after the war may mean a thouisand years afterwards, our discussion will become an abstract treatment of general principles. Furthermore, are we discussing reconstruction as we ourselves would carry it out, if we were free to act upon