One of the important aspects of the struggle between utilitarians and anti-utilitarians in nineteenth century Britain was the attempt by both sides to influence the topics that would be covered in University Examinations on Moral Philosophy. Whewell, as the Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, was a major player in this struggle. In this appendix to his 1862 edition of Lectures on the History of Moral Philosophy he discusses the role of Paley's utilitarian ethical works in this fight.

On the Recent Arrangements Respecting Moral Studies in the University of Cambridge

A considerable portion of these Lectures has been occupied in tracing the history of Moral Philosophy in the University of Cambridge; where, as has been stated above, the teaching of Ethics, in some form or other, has always been carried on. The Moral Philosophy of Paley was, as has been said, adopted for a time, and even admitted in official documents to a place in the Examinations of the University. But objections were felt to Paley's system from teh first. The doctrines were really inconsistent with those of other English moralists, such as King (On the Origin of Evil), Clarke (On the Attributes of God), and Butler (Sermons on Human Nature), who also, especially Butler, were authors recommended and used in College Lectures and Examinations. Moreover, the natural and inevitable consequences of the principles of Paley were worked out with great force and unflinching logic by Bentham and his school, as we have also seen. And thus the teaching of Paley was often protested against in the University.

Perhaps it may be permitted me here to remind Cambridge men, who take an interest in such matters, that my dear friend Julius Hare and myself were among the first persons who gave public utterance to this feeling of dissatisfaction with the mode of teaching Ethics thus prevailing here thirty years ago. As an indication of this, I may quote what I wrote in 1837. I had preached before the University in November of that year Sermons which I soon afterwards published under the title of Four Sermons on the Foundations of Morals, dedicating the book to Mr. Hare. In the Preface to these Sermons I said:

"In the following Discourses disapprobation is expressed of a work now in use in the Examinations of the University of Cambridge--Paley's Moral Philosophy. It is with great reluctance that I thus object to a book which forms part of the Unviersity course of reading on a very important subject, without pointing out some other book which may be substituted for it with advantage. But it appeared to me that the evils which arise from the countenance thus afforded to the principles of Paley's system are so great as to make it desirable for us to withdraw our sanction from his doctrines without further delay."

I then mentioned Butler as the principal representative of a better system than Paley, and also referred to Stewart's Classification and Analysis of our Active and Moral Powers.

This practice of putting forwards Butler as a corrective to Paley, and of referring to more recent writers on such subjects, gradually strengthened the repugnance to Paley, and led to a series of steps by which his principles of morals were gradually excluded from the University Examinations.

Moral Philosophy was thus excluded from a time from the University Examinations; but the University was far from satisfied with this state of things. And attempts were repeatedly made to introduce measures by which mroal studies should be encouraged in the same manner as the leading studies of the University, Mathematics and Classics, namely, by University Honours given to those who in a University Examination were found well versed in moral studies. And after various attempts and changes, there was established a Tripos or Examination List, which may be regarded as an important era in the history of Moral Philosophy in England. The moral studies thus encouraged were not only Moral Philosophy, but Mental Philosophy and Logic; and further, as another group of studies, History and Political Philosophy, Political Economy, and Jurisprudence.

The rewards held out to distinction in such studies are, among others, that a canddiate by proficiency in them obtains a claim to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, as by proficiency in Mathematics or in Classics.

For the information of Cambridge Students, I will give the List of Books which the University authorities have published:

List of Books agreed to by the Board of Moral Sciences Studies.

"The following Lists of Authors and Books are intended to mark the general course which the Examination is to take in the several subjects of the Moral Sciences Tripos. The Board recommend that, in the Examinations, questions be proposed having reference to the books in these lists; and that opportunity also be given to the Candidates to show a knowledge of other works both ancient and recent, in which the same subjects have been treated with the same or different views.

  1. Moral Philosophy.
  2. Mental Philosophy.
  3. Logic
  4. History and Political Philosophy.

    5. "A knowledge of the facts of history as referred to in the speculative works will be required.
  5. Political Economy.
  6. General Jurisprudence.
  7. The History of Philosophy

William Whewell, Lectures on the History of Moral Philosophy. Deighton, Bell, and Co. (Cambridge: 1862) 277-280.