The Theory of Business

第36章

Butafterallqualificationshavebeenmade,thefactstillisapparentthattheeverydaylifeofthoseclasseswhichareengagedinbusinessdiffersmateriallyintherespectcitedfromthelifeoftheclassesengagedinindustryproper。Thereisanappreciableandwideningdifferencebetweenthehabitsoflifeofthetwoclasses;andthiscarrieswithitawideningdifferenceinthedisciplinetowhichthetwoclassesaresubjected。Itinducesadifferenceinthehabitsofthoughtandthehabitualgroundsandmethodsofreasoningresortedtobyeachclass。Thereresultsadifferenceinthepointofview,inthefactsdweltupon,inthemethodsofargument,inthegroundsofvalidityappealedto;andthisdifferencegainsinmagnitudeandconsistencyasthedifferentiationofoccupationsgoeson。Sothatthetwoclassescometohaveanincreasingdifficultyinunderstandingoneanotherandappreciatingoneanother’sconvictions,ideals,capacities,andshortcomings。

Theultimategroundofvalidityforthethinkingofthebusinessclassesisthenatural-rightsgroundofproperty,-aconventional,anthropomorphicfacthavinganinstitutionalvalidity,ratherthanamatter-of-factvaliditysuchascanbeformulatedintermsofmaterialcauseandeffect;whiletheclassesengagedinthemachineindustryarehabituallyoccupiedwithmattersofcausalsequence,whichdonotlendthemselvestostatementinanthropomorphictermsofnaturalrightsandwhichaffordnoguidanceinquestionsofinstitutionalrightandwrong,orofconventionalreasonandconsequence。Argumentswhichproceedonmaterialcauseandeffectcannotbemetwithargumentsfromconventionalprecedentordialecticallysufficientreason,andconversely。

Thethinkingrequiredbythepecuniaryoccupationsproceedsongroundsofconventionality,whereasthatinvolvedintheindustrialoccupationsruns,inthemain,ongroundsofmechanicalsequenceorcausation,totheneglectofconventionality。Theinstitution(habitofthought)ofownershiporpropertyisaconventionalfact;andthelogicofpecuniarythinking-thatistosay,ofthinkingonmattersofownership-

isaworkingoutoftheimplicationsofthispostulate,thisconceptofownershiporproperty。Thecharacteristichabitsofthoughtgivenbysuchworkarehabitsofrecoursetoconventionalgroundsoffinalityorvalidity,toanthropomorphism,toexplanationsofphenomenaintermsofhumanrelation,discretion,authenticity,andchoice。Thefinalgroundofcertaintyininquiriesonthisnatural-rightsplaneisalwaysagroundofauthenticity,ofprecedent,oraccepteddecision。Theargumentisanargumentdejure,notdefacto,andthetraininggivenlendsfacilityandcertaintyinthepursuitofdejuredistinctionsandgeneralizations,ratherthaninthepursuitortheassimilationofadefactoknowledgeofimpersonalphenomena。Theendofsuchreasoningistheinterpretationofnewfactsintermsofaccreditedprecedents,ratherthanarevisionoftheknowledgedrawnfrompastexperienceinthematter-of-factlightofnewphenomena。Theendeavoristomakefactsconformtolaw,nottomakethelaworgeneralruleconformtofacts。Thebentsogivenfavorstheacceptanceofthegeneral,abstract,custom-maderuleassomethingrealwitharealitysuperiortotherealityofimpersonal,non-conventionalfacts。Suchtraininggivesreachandsubtletyinmetaphysicalargumentandinwhatisknownasthe“practical“managementofaffairs;itgivesexecutiveoradministrativeefficiency,so-called,asdistinguishedfrommechanicalwork。“Practical“efficiencymeanstheabilitytoturnfactstoaccountforthepurposesoftheacceptedconventions,togivealargeeffecttothesituationintermsofthepecuniaryconventionsinforce。(11*)

Thespiritualattitudegivenbythistraininginreasoningdejure,frompecuniarypremisestopecuniaryconclusions,isnecessarilyconservative。Thisspeciesofreasoningassumesthevalidityoftheconventionallyestablishedpostulates,andisconsequentlyunabletotakeascepticalattitudetowardthesepostulatesortowardtheinstitutionsinwhichthesepostulatesareembodied。Itmayleadtoscepticismtouchingother,older,institutionsthatareatvariancewithitsown(natural-rights)

postulates,butitsscepticismcannottouchthenatural-rightsgroundonwhichitrestsitsowncase。Inthesamemanner,ofcourse,thethinkingwhichrunsinmaterialcausalsequencecannottakeascepticalattitudetowarditsfundamentalpostul

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