The Philosophy of the Moral Feelings — Background and Themes

The Structure of Moral Inquiry

Abercrombie organizes his investigation around the principle that moral feelings are not arbitrary but follow discernible laws. He begins by analyzing the conscience as an internal faculty, then examines the emotions, desires, and volitions that arise from it. The argument proceeds through a series of linked propositions: that moral impressions are universal, that they imply a moral governor, and that they point to a future state. This logical chain is reinforced by frequent appeals to the reader's own experience. Abercrombie writes that the mind's operations are exposed to the eye of the Deity, and that every emotion and desire is open to his view. The structure thus mirrors a process of self-examination, where the reader is led to recognize the moral law within and then to see its correspondence with divine revelation. The work's six sections move from foundational principles to practical applications, culminating in a discussion of faith as a mental process that draws down divine influence.

Recurring Images of Light and Vision

Throughout the text, Abercrombie employs a consistent set of images related to sight, light, and inspection. The Deity's eye is described as reaching the inmost movements of the mind; the moral agent is urged to consider how his conduct will appear in the eye of him who seeth in secret. This visual language extends to the concept of moral health, which Abercrombie presents as a state where the mind's operations assume the characters of moral health, providing proof of divine presence. The image of a friend of exalted intelligence who exercises a commanding influence over us is used to illustrate the operation of faith: the absent friend's image is brought before us, conveying an influence analogous to his actual presence. This recurring motif of vision and influence ties together the psychological and theological dimensions of the work, suggesting that moral improvement depends on a kind of inner sight that perceives divine reality.

Movement from Observation to Application

Abercrombie's method is to move from careful observation of mental phenomena to practical conclusions. He begins by stating facts about moral feelings, then traces the principles that ought to regulate volitions and conduct. This movement is evident in his treatment of conscience: he first describes its operations, then argues that it implies a moral governor, and finally draws implications for daily life. The text frequently shifts from analytical passages to exhortatory ones, urging the reader to earnest exertions as a rational being. Abercrombie emphasizes that the philosophy of moral feelings bears directly upon a practical purpose of the highest moment. He warns against unprofitable speculation, insisting that the inquiry must be divested of all that does not lead to moral culture. This pragmatic orientation is reinforced by the structure of the work, which culminates in a discussion of how faith operates as a mental process that brings down divine influence upon the soul.

The Role of Faith as Mental Process

In the later sections, Abercrombie develops a distinctive account of faith as a psychological mechanism. He describes it as a power in the mind itself that draws down an influence of the most efficient kind. To illustrate, he offers a hypothetical scenario: a person separated from a wise friend recalls that friend's image and feels an influence analogous to his presence. This, Abercrombie argues, is the intercourse of the soul with God. Faith is not a passive reception but an active effort of the mind to place itself in the immediate presence of the Deity. The process involves realizing the character of God and solemnly inquiring how one's moral feelings will appear in his sight. Abercrombie insists that this is no vision of the imagination but a fact supported by every principle of sound reason. The argument is carefully hedged: he acknowledges that the mind's own exertions are necessary, but he also maintains that divine aid is communicated through these very efforts.

Abercrombie's treatise rewards readers who approach it as a work of moral psychology rather than systematic theology. The text's strength lies in its detailed observations of mental operations and its insistence that moral improvement is an active, disciplined process. Readers should attend to the way Abercrombie builds his case through repeated appeals to internal experience, and to the careful distinctions he draws between reason, conscience, and faith. The work is best read as a companion to his earlier volume on the intellectual powers, as he frequently assumes principles established there.

There are evenings when Abercrombie’s insistence on a divine order feels almost like a hand on my shoulder, steadying me. I keep thinking about what happens to that quiet moral compass when faith isn’t part of the equation; it led me to a lecture I found unexpectedly moving, Morality Without God A Lecture Delivered Before the Independent Religious Society — A Reader’s Guide, and it sits beside the old book now, a strange, thoughtful pair.