A happy society neither does nor can mean anything but a number of happy individuals, so organised that their individual happiness is secured to them.

But what do the individuals want?
Before we can try to secure it for them, we must know that.

Granted that we know what will make the individuals happy, then we shall know what will make society happy.

And then social morality will be, as Professor Huxley says, a perfectly legitimate subject of scientific enquiry--then, but not till then.

But this is what the positive school are perpetually losing sight of; and the reason of the confusion is not far to seek.
Within certain limits, it is quite true, the general good is a sufficiently obvious matter, and beyond the reach of any rational dispute.