Moral Philosophy Seminar (Wednesday - Week 2, MT25)
Wednesday 22 Oct, 4:15pm - 6:00pm
Seminar Room (00.063), Schwarzman Centre
Christine Korsgaard (Harvard University): 'The Human Good'
Abstract: One of the oldest questions in philosophy is “What is the best life for a human being?” After considering some prominent ancient and recent answers to that question, I propose that we approach the question using a relatively simple method that most philosophers have neglected. We should ask what in general is involved in something’s (some, condition, state, or activity, including a certain kind of life) being good for some entity (some object, animal, or person), and then applying this answer to the human case. This method, I argue, yields a surprisingly intuitive answer.
Workshop in Moral Philosophy Convenor: David Owens