ABSTRACT
John Locke undermined the notion of innate ideas, including that of an in-born ‘moral sense’, and spelled out the essential building blocks of the hedonic structure entailing the quest for ‘happiness’ as governing human conduct. In addition, he elaborated an ethical doctrine approving the individual who engages in other-regarding conduct to the benefit of the ‘greater good’. But Bentham himself was silent regarding Locke’s positive contribution to ethical utilitarianism as sympathetic conduct in the public interest, and this even if such conduct should be motivated by the promise of worldly advantage to the individual. Modern secondary commentaries cover a range of sometimes conflicting interpretations but often lack sufficient recognition of Locke’s identification of morality with other-regarding conduct favouring general happiness. Locke in fact sought to enhance sympathetic or socially-advantageous conduct by advising individuals not to discount a future life when considering the consequences of conduct for their personal ‘happiness’.
