On the Ethics of Naturalism

"On the Ethics of Naturalism" by W. R. Sorley is a set of lectures from the late 1800s exploring the connection between right and wrong, the natural world, and the human experience and focuses on philosophy and ethical questions tied to who humans are. The author starts by looking at how ethics and philosophy are related, arguing that ideas about ethics come from deeper ideas about the mind and the world. The lectures then highlight different ideas that shape our moral understanding. Sorley stresses the importance of questioning what goals humans should be striving for, because the author doesn't believe the goals should only be temporary feelings. Instead, the author focuses the discussion on deeper moral truths and how those truths can be established with clear and valid reasoning. This start lays the groundwork for closely studying individual ideas, pleasures of the mind, and how that progresses to greater concepts, showing that the lectures dive into ethical ideas that are based on humans and their daily interaction in the world.