les of the law of natu

hem are comprised in one fun

is that

self-pres

s also a precept o

faculties and his social system, it is not the immediate and direct object of nature; it is

re order man to

a sensation of pain, by which it admonishes him of, and deters him from, everything that tends to destroy him; the other, a sensation o

s not an evil, a sin

life and health which, by the avowal of thos

object of our existence, as s

sure is an incitement to live a

ou prove th

the pleasure of eating or drinking, attacks his health, and injures his life. The other, that pain sometimes leads to self

t our sensations can deceive us res

hey can m

r sensations

by ignorance,

ey deceive us

es: for example, when a man touches nettles without knowing their stinging

hey deceive

nevertheless, to the impetuosity of our desires and appetites: for example, wh

is the

are contrary to our preservation; that, therefore, the instruction of our minds and the moderation of

norant, is not ignor

ancy. Far from being a law of nature, ignorance is an obstacle

moralists who have looked upon

owledge itself; as if, because men abuse the power of speech, their tongues should be cut out; as i

n, is indispensable

ater he drowns himself; those of opium, he poisons himself; if, in the savage state, he does not know the wiles of animals, and the art of seizing game, he perishes through hunger; if

s knowledge necessary to his existence,

istance of his fellow men,

iety to man a sta

ociety; secondly, by endowing him with sensibility, she organized him so that the sensations of others reflect within him, and excite reciprocal sentiments of pleasure and of grief, which are attractions, and indissoluble ties of society; thirdly, and finally, the state of society, founded on the wants of man,

phers called the savage st

iuses, who, from moroseness, from wounded vanity, or from a disgust to the vices of society, have con

ue meaning of the

sts in the practice of the laws of nature, the true philosopher is he wh

man in the

nt animal, a wicked

happy in

tually of violent wants which he cannot satisfy, since he is

s he

red, to warm himself when cold; he is every instant in danger of perishing; wherefore nature offers but fortuitous examples of such beings; and we see th

nder in individuals egotism, that is to say self-lo

hatred of others. Self-love, taken in its true sense, not only is not contrary to society, but is its fi

an being; and it is from this essential principle that are derived, are referred, and in its scale are weighed, all ideas of good and evil, of v